Trial By Fire
by StandingOnTheRooftops
Summary: A world on the brink of war. The king of Sanq is bent on conquering the entire continent. It's up to one brave group of rebels to stop him and bring back prosperity to the people. Magic and adventure abound. 3x4, and others!
1. Duo Is Burned At The Stake

_**Trial By Fire**_

~*~*~*~

Warnings: AU. 3x4, 2x5, 1x???? (shhhh! is a secret for now! ^^) Angst, sap, fluff, drama, action.... lots of everything. Oh, and fantasy and magic, too! Rating is T for the present moment, but I have a feeling it will go up to M later on, if you know what I mean! : ) But I will let you know when it does, so no worries!

Extra notes: I will be using alot of Elven language in this fic. There are no elves, nor do I have plans to add them, but I think the languages are beautiful, and I will be using a mixture of real languages, the multiple dialects of the language from LOTR, and the ancient language from Eragon... and maybe even others! So, just be warned. I will provide notes on name meanings if I find it useful or interesting.

Basic Summary: Atara is a world of multiple kingdoms, where people are sometimes born with gifts. In Ellesmera, these gifts are exalted. In Ki-lin, they are accepted, used just like any other talent. In Sanq... they are abhorred. In Sanq... anyone with these abilities is burned at the stake. We enter this world right at the brink of all out war between Ellesmera and Sanq.

~*~*~*~

_**Trial By Fire**_

_**Chapter One**_

_**Duo Is Burned At The Stake**_

Fire.

It was excruciating.

Painful.

It *burned*. Into flesh, across fabric. Through the wood that would be piled at his feet. Duo closed his eyes and prayed. Prayed that somehow, his breath would stop, his heart stop beating. Praying that he died by any manner before they lit that fire beneath him.

Anything would be preferable to death by fire. But it was the way. It was the way it had been done for years. Trial by Fire. Anyone branded a witch, or to possess magick was put to that test. There was no question for the people of Sanq of light or dark magick... magick was magick, and thus it was unnatural and therefore dark in it it's basic nature.

They would burn them at the stake. The people beleived that if they survived, it proved that God held that person in his hands. If they died, that God had condemned them for use of the devil's magic. But... of course... no one lived, and therefore the people's record for accuracy was as yet untarnished.

Quick minded people, like Duo, could see the gaping hole in their logic... and atheists could as well. But then... most atheists were branded witches and... well, it was easy to guess. Duo was not an atheist, though. Merely logical. His fault had been in letting one to many people learn of his unique gift. With enough concentration, he could move objects using only the power of his mind. Of course, such a talent was un-natural, and so... here he was.

He sighed. Ever since he'd escaped the monastary, it seemed back luck had followed him. Like death was a shadow looming over him. And he would have gladly welcomed death... but death by fire? It was horrific, and even someone with a death-wish would not wish for an end like that.

Despite the rope binding his wrists, Duo rubbed his hands together. In the three days he'd been down in this dark, dank and moldy dirt-walled cell, he'd had nothing to occupy himself with except levitating a piece of straw. Very boring, but at least it had been an outlet for his restlessness... and a way to keep his mind off of the fate that awaited him.

But no more. Outside, the sun was about to fall beyond the horizon, and now... he could hear the guards coming down to get him.

"Alright, **demon."** The door was thrown open, the burly man who'd first thrown him in the cell grabbed his arms, dragging him up, out along with assistance from two others. Duo struggled, rather futilely. He even used his talent to toss small stones and twigs at his captors, but to little avail. After so long with no food or water, he was much too weak at the moment to summon any great torrent or storm of stones and sticks... and there wasn't any larger pieces he could use.

He slumped from exhaustion as they tied him to the stake and piled more and more wood, up around him. He simply gave up and accepted that today... he would die.

And he would die by fire.

* * *

It was only minutes before the roaring of the gathered crowd was echoed by a new sound, a sound that had Duo gasping back a sob. The sound of cracking, of spitting... the sound of dry, alcohol doused wood igniting. The sound of flames licking up the fodder it was presented with. It was the sound of his death beginning.

He closed his eyes as waves of heat washed over him. The flames grew higher, and Duo could feel the heat across his skin, and waited. Only moments and he would feel the fire and not just the heat. It would spread across his clothes, it would eat at his skin. Only moments....

One... two.... three....

Duo opened his eyes slowly to the orange and red brightness. The fire grew steadily around him, but did not touch him. He could feel the heat... but not the flames. He stared wondrously around him, then down. Yes, the wood beneath his feat burned... yes the flames licked around his toes... yet, the fire lapped around his arms, his legs... but it still didn't burn; moreover, it tickled a little, tingling as if his muscles had fallen asleep. Now, above the fire, he could hear the crowd again. But it was not the cheering he'd expected... instead it was screams of horror, surprise, fear. He focused, trying to make out voices.

"Witches!"

"Magistrate!?!?!"

"They're demons!"

"The magistrate is dead!"

Duo heard screams, the thunderous sound of people running. Some sort of battle? The magistrate was dead? And then new voices, closer to him, just on the other side of the flames.

"... get him out, 'Fei. You can't control the fire much longer."

"I'm on it, Barton. Just shut up."

Silence... and then Duo saw it. A shadow, closer and closer, as if someone were running towards him... through the fire...

The screaming of more guards, the gasp of someone, sounding right next to him... within the wall of fire...

and then all he could feel was pain... pain as the flames finally burned at his skin... and then nothing as his world went black.

~*~*~*~

AN: Atara, the name of this world, is the Elvish word for 'mother'. And the Ellesmera of the summary is not the same one from Eragon. I just really love that name! ^_^

This chapter was short, but hopefully they get longer further into the story. ^^ please review if you read this. Good and bad comments are welcome... as long as it's a review!


	2. Trowa And Wufei To The Rescue

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**Trial By Fire**

**Chapter Two**

**Trowa and Wufei to the Rescue**

"But I think Lucrezia understands the politics more than we, my friend. Who are we to question her judgements?"

"Nevertheless, I despise that fiend of a King... and his daughter equally so. They are not fit to rule this kingdom. Sanq was never like this under the rule of the PeaceCrafts." Chang Wufei of the Dragon Clan seethed whenever he thought of Kushrenada, the current king, and his young daughter, Marimaia. In his opinion, Sanq would be much better off if they both just up and died.

"The PeaceCraft family abdicated any and all claim over a hundred years ago," his companion pointed out as they ambled along, guiding their horses down the dirt road. "They have no claim at all to the throne. Anyways... do you really think *Merquis* could make a fitting king?" The name was stressed, and Wufei wrinkled his nose at his friend's logic. Zechs Merquis, one of the last two remaining PeaceCrafts, would make as good a king as a pig would a butler. As Consort to the queen of Ellesmera, he was okay. He had a charisma about him, and his weak talent at controlling thunder storms was a Gods-send to the rebellion. But as a king... the whole idea was laughable.

"Is this country doomed then?" Wufei asked, his voice a whisper. "Maybe I should return to Ki-Lin. At least my country *accepts*...." Wufei let his sentance dangle as a man in a trundeling littl cart up to them, going quite fast for such a small cart.

"What's your rush, friend?" Wufei asked amiably as the elderly little farmer gained on them. Wufei lead Nataku out of the way, to the left, as his friend lead his own horse towards the right.

"Oh, next village up caught a little ol' demon, they did," The old man grinned, sporting several missing teeth. "Damnable thing'll be burning come twilight. You two hurry along, now! You want to make sure to get a good seat! They say 'tis an orphan what escaped from Maxwell Monastery!"

And with that, the little old man whipped his horses, an extra burst of speed having him race ahead of the two now dumbfounded companions, paused in the road.

"Maxwell?" Wufei whispered, coming closer to his friend. "Barton... wasn't Maxwell Monastery the one Kushrenada destroyed? The one that harbored magick wielders?"

Trowa Barton nodded curtly, green eyes narrowed, the pupils slitted in silent anger. _They're going to burn a 'demon'?_In Trowa's experiences outside his home forest of Ellesmera, 'demon' was a common term used to describe magick wielders, like himself, like Wufei.

"I think we may want to be there for this execution," Trowa said softly. He looked up, emerald eyes meeting onyx. Wufei's eyes were hard, and the dragon man from Ki-Lin kicked his horse into a gallop, Trowa not far behind.

Neither would let an innocent burn at the stake. They would save the child, then depending on the child's talent and strength, they'd either send them to Relena, the White Sorceress of the southern plains, to be protected.... or escort them to Ellesmera, where they would hopefully join Trowa, Wufei, and many others in the rebellion.

* * *

Trowa pulled his brown cloak's hood up over his head as he and Wufei took places in the crowd, making sure his already strung bow was hidden from sight. His caramel brown hair was swept forward to cover half of his face, and he used the cloak to cast his face in shadow. From first glance, there was nothing at all unusual about him. He looked just like any other traveler in Sanq. It was always his eyes that gave him away. His kind of magic wielders always had trouble with tiny details... such as eyes, fingers, toes, nose ears... always some little detail could give them away.

Wufei, on the other hand, never bothered hiding his face. It was obvious from one look at rigid stature, onyx eyes, black hair, angled face, golden skin... every part of him screamed of a Ki-Lin warrior. Mercenaries from Ki-Lin were know of, if not quite common-place, so few payed him too much interest.

His onyx eyes at the moment were stuck onto the slender, dirty figure being tied to the stake. As soon as the bindings were in place, he could see the slump in those frail-looking shoulders, the glazed way the cobalt, almost violet, eyes stared without seeing anything. At first glance, Wufei had thought the figure was a young female, perhaps thirteen or so turns. The slender waist, the long hair, the sad eyes; but then Wufei took more notice, to see the hidden strength in the arms, the width of the shoulders, the sharp angles of the face. The poor boy had given up hope.

The magistrate read aloud the charges, which even Wufei could tell were trumped up, and ended with the charge of treason to the crow by way of using forbidden magick.

"Let him burn," the magistrate of the town said, tossing the first torch into the pyre. Wufei silently cursed as the flames shot up. Of course they'd doused the wood in something flammable first. Closing his eyes momentarily, he called upon his own magick, pleading with the fire to obey his will. The flames rose higher, and the crowd abruptly looked awestruck as the boy within the pyre didn't scream in pain or horror. Gasps of 'demon' and 'witch' echoed through the gathered crowd.

"Now," Wufei whispered to his partner.

In an almost invisible motion, Trowa threw his cloak back, notching an arrow and bringing his bow up, all in one fluid move. The bow let out a soft 'twip' as the arrow flew true and straight, spearing the magistrate through the shoulder.

Gasps and screams filled the air, the crowd suddenly frantic and panicked. The magistrate's guards, the brutes who'd forced the young boy to the pyre, closed in on them.

Trowa slung his bow over his shoulders, drawing his sword.

"I'll take care of these demons," he growled. With his head up, a bright emerald eye glared at the guards.

"Witches!" one of them snarled, recognizing the eyes as the sign they were. "They're both witches! Get them!"

Trowa swung his sword in an arc, keeping the guards at bay.

"Go to him! Get him out, 'Fei. You can't keep the fire at bay for much longer!"

"I'm on it, Barton," the warrior snapped, black eyes glowing with a faint red light. "Just shut up!" Any slip in his concentration at the moment would spell certain disaster for the man in the flames.

Wufei ran as fast as he could through the crowd, diving headfirst through the fire without a second though. His hunting knife was out, already slicing through the bindings of the boy when he felt the arrow pierce through his shoulder.

Damn, he thought as he felt his control over the fire shatter into a million pieces. It didn't burn him... it never did... but the sudden screams in his ear let him know the object of his mission was suddenly feeling the fire. Wrapping himself around the frail body, he threw himself and the now, thankfully, unconscious boy out of the heat of the flames.

"'Fei?" Trowa's voice had a clear question in it.

"Alive," Wufei panted. "But we need out of here!"

"Agreed." Trowa grabbed Wufei's hand, pulling the warrior to his feet as he let out a shrill whistle. Almost immediately, their horses came galloping, stopping beside their masters. Wufei swung into the saddle and Trowa passed up the light, weak body. The Ellesmeran man then mounted and they both set out at a gallop away from the town, leaving shocked and fearful villagers behind.

About a mile of hard galloping later, each warrior pulled their horses to a halt next to each other.

"You alright?" Trowa asked.

The Ki-Lin man nodded in reply, snapping the feathered end of the arrow off with a grunt. "Would you..."

Before the question could be asked, Trowa reached out and with quick, nimble fingers grabbed the arrow by it's point, protruding from Wufei's back. He gave a sharp pull, and winced at Wufei's pained gasp.

"Damn arrows. Where'd they come from?"

Trowa chuckled. "A boy, younger than this one here."

"Did you...?"

"No. He was just a kid, 'Fei. He'll have a lump on his head, but he'll be fine. Which is more than I think we can say for your new charge."

Wufei looked at the young man, collapsed and unconscious in his hands. His hair was covered in ash and soot, but it looked to be brown beneath the grime. His pale, fair skin was ravaged by burns, not to mention he probably had other injuries from his imprisonment.

"From the looks of those burns," Trowa commented, "It's best he's passed out."

Wufei gathered him up closer to him, shifting him carefully into a position more comfortable and suitable for them both at an easy trot. "Can't you heal him?"

Trowa shook his head. "My regenerative power only works on myself; you know that. He'll need a proper healer for those wounds."

"One look at him and any healer worth their salt would know exactly what he is. What we are. What happened. Ellesmera is a week away... he'd never make it back to Sally."

Trowa frowned, as if he'd answered a question but didn't like his conclusion.

"There is one place we can go. One healer who won't tell," he said in a whisper.

"Barton...." One look at his companion, and Wufei knew exactly who the brunette was thinking of. "Trowa, that's not..."

"This man needs a healer," Trowa argued quietly. "Quatre's the best. And he's only a day away."

"And your emotional turmoil doesn't matter then?" Wufei demanded, upset, but knowing that the blond healer would be their best bet.

Trowa swallowed, but lowered his head. "Turmoil I accept gladly. I'd have gone back someday anyway, Chang."

Wufei narrowed his eyes at the soft-spoken comment, but made no reply. He considered his friend. Then he considered the healer. Then he considered the man in his arms.

All told, if Trowa wanted to.... then that left no real choice to be made.

"Clare Canyon it is, then," Wufei said, then urged his horse into a brisk trot.

　~*~*~*~

AN: Okay, I just couldn't leave it like I did for long. So, now we know more! And at least we now know what 'Fei-kins special talent is!

And just a reminder, I don't own GW or the Elven languages from which I borrow some names/words.

So please let me know how this was! I cherish reviews!


	3. The Healer Of Clare Canyon

_**Trial By Fire**_

_**Chapter Three**_

_**The Healer of Clare Canyon**_

Quatre stood in the doorway of his little stone cottage, waiting. The sun marked it as mid-morning, just rising over the cliffs behind his home, the waves pounding at the base of those cliffs. He'd felt them coming. Not Trowa, of course. He could never feel Trowa.

But Wufei was easy to feel. No... Wufei was *impossible* not to feel... as brazen and *loud* as the fire he controlled.. There was another there too, one full of fear, pain, and slight hope.

And usually, Trowa travelled with Wufei. Quatre waited patiently, knowing they'd be here soon. He was simply glad that Heero had travelled on a few days ago. His quiet friend would not have been pleased to meet with Wufei or Trowa.

He wasn't sure how he felt about maybe seeing Trowa again. He still hadn't rectified the whole situation in his mind. As far as he could tell... they were still at as much a stand-still, an impasse, as they had been when they parted so many months ago.

Within moments, the two figures, on horseback, appeared from the treeline in the distance. It was easy to pick out Trowa, straight backed, trailing slightly behind the other. Only another moment, and the two were upon him, right up to the cottage. Wufei held a bundle in front of him.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Wufei beat him to it, thundering to a stop just in front of him. Quatre could see the bundle he carried was a thin young man, and he could see the raging red burns.

"Wufei..." he growled, Teal eyes glinting angrily as the obvious first assumption came to his mind. A badly burned man and a sometimes reckless man who could control fire....

"Not me. They had him to the stake. We couldn't let him die like that." Wufei cut him off, voice brusque but worried. "Can you help him or not?"

Quatre nodded, an about face in demeanor. Gone was the hostility; he was a healer first and foremost. "I can. Bring him inside. Trowa, go fetch water. Sea water, not from the well."

No one questioned the orders. They knew that when Quatre agreed to heal someone, he took it very seriously indeed. And they knew what was required. There would be payment... but not until later.

Wufei carried the injured man inside, leaving the horses to wander free. They were well trained and would not go far.

"On the bed," Quatre waved to the high-raised bed towards the side of the room. He fetched various tools of his trade; Herbs of various sorts, cloths. A pestle and mortar to crush them. He set them on a nearby table, then began to systematically undress the man so that all the wounds were visible. The man winced in his sleep.

"How long as he been under?"

"He passed out yesterday, just at twilight when we rescued him. We've rode all night. He woke up one or twice, but he was incoherent and passed out again."

Quatre nodded. "Yes, understandable. I'll give him a medicine to help ease the sleep, control the pain, before I tend to the burns." He quickly chose three different herbs, mashing them together with a little hot water until he had a thick, warm paste. The paste he then forced into the man's throat, working until most of it had been swallowed.

Trowa came in the door, holding a wooden bucket of sea-water. He set in on the table of herbs and materials. Quatre nodded, then placed his hands over the worst burns... the ones on his legs, where the skin had blackened and began to die. He murmered to himself as he worked, simply holding his hands there, a feather light touch against the dying flesh.

The other two watched silently. They had come to Quatre for the simple reason he was one of them. He used magic knowingly. His gift was a unique, strong one, one that he focused towards healing. Somehow, simply laying his hands on someone, he could make their bodies work better, faster to fix what was wrong. Whether that be forcing out an illness, or mending a broken bone... or rejuvenating burned flesh. Slowly, Quatre drifted his hands, his touch, up following the lenght of the burns. In their wake, the flesh was alive again. It was still twisted, scarred, and slightly red amidst the new pink skin. Quatre's gift was great, but it could not do more than the body he worked with could handle. Unlike traditional healing gifts that drew on the healers own power, his talent drew energy from the injured person. If that person was weak, then Quatre's power could only do so much. The fact that Quatre could heal this young man so much spoke to Wufei... this young man was strong. He would fight to live.

Trowa and Wufei waited silently. An hour passed, then another as Quatre slowly moved up the thin, burned body in front of him. The burns were less horrible up his body, so the scars faded as they traveled up his left side. Quatre finished with the burns on the side of the face, working until most of the skin was new, with just a thin red line near his ear to show others what he'd been through.

Quatre panted as he removed his hands and turned to his table.

"That's the best I can do. We'll soak the cloths in sea water and cover where the wounds were. It'll help make sure I didn't miss anything and keep it clean while his body continues to heal on it's own." A few moments later, with Wufei and Trowa helping, the entire side of the man's body was plastered with wet, cool cloth.

"He should be fine until the morning." Quatre placed a steadying hand on the table.

Wufei moved out of the way, wincing a little. Quatre's trained eyes spotted it.

"Were you hurt?"

"Arrow in the shoulder," the black haired man said. "It's why I lost concentration and he," he waved to the man, "got hurt. It's nothing."

Quatre cursed under his breath, and quicker than one would think, he'd moved forward to jerk back Wufei's black shirt to reveal the little ragged hole near the right shoulder.

"Nothing, he says," Quatre muttered, placing a hand over the hole, and another on the exit wound on his back. "Unbandaged, open for all sorts of festering infections and it's nothing." Wufei winced as he felt the flesh knit back together, the skin smoothing back, becoming whole again, with no scar; Wufei was strong, so Quatre's gift worked quickly and easily on him. He disliked magical healings for the odd, almost painful, tickling sensation that accompanied it, but he had to admit it had it's good sides.

Quatre dropped his hand, then swayed.

It was Trowa's turn to curse as he caught the blond as he healer collapsed.

"Put him to bed," Wufei advised. "He'll sleep 'til the morrow, too."

Trowa caught his arm under Quatre's legs, sweeping him up and carrying him towards the bedroom at the back of the house. He turned down the bed and slipped the healer under the quilt. He lingered, though. Brushing a lock of sandy-blond hair from Quatre's face, he dropped a silent, soft kiss to his forehead.

"Always working until you collapse. Your heart is much, much too big, Cat," he whispered.

~*~*~*~

AN: Yay!!! Thank you to all the people who reviewed, and everyone who's put this story on their favorite/alert lists! Cookies to everyone!!!!


	4. Duo Awakens

**_Trial By Fire_**

**_Chapter Four_**

_**Duo Awakens**_

The next morning, Quatre was up with the sunrise, as usual. His patient was still slumbering peacefully, he noted as he started to prepare for breakfast. Wufei had fallen asleep in front of the fire... no surprise. And Trowa had tied up his hammock between the supports of the back porch... again, no surprise. Quatre spent a moment leaning in the doorway, just watching as the rising sunlight played across Trowa's face. It had been several months since he'd last gazed upon that face; the longest he'd ever gone without seeing it since the first time they became lovers. No, before that, even; from the first moment they had met.. They'd always knew, always said that it couldn't be permanent. Their arguments over it often were small and resolved or ignored quickly, but Quatre's temper had reigned last time, and Trowa'd taken the full force of it. Quatre could clearly remember the words he'd spoke.

_"By all that is held Holy, I cannot... will-not.... let myself be dragged into your childish warfare games. It is stupid, selfish and I cannot stand for it! Go, if you must. They're your family, of course you'll go. But I do not belong in Ellesmera. I don't want to belong there."_

Tears were blinked away from aqua eyes as he forced himself not to dwell on his harsh words. But they had been true... much too true. Quatre didn't belong to the people of Ellesmera. By his very nature, he was different than them. And Trowa could never completely leave his people behind; Trowa was, by nature of course, an integral part of their hierarchy. No matter how they tried, or how they felt... they could never have made a relationship work.

The pain of that fact alone was worse than anything he'd ever felt before.

He felt the presence behind him before Wufei ever spoke.

"Y'know... the two of you are meant for each other."

"Then why do we keep hurting each other?" Quatre questioned softly.

"A certain amount of pain should be expected when two people love each other. The phrase 'falling in love' even has the connotations of pain."

"We're not good for each other," Quatre shook his head. "We're just too different. We belong in two completely different worlds."

He turned to walk back inside. "Your new friend is waking up. Perhaps it would be best if you and Trowa left today. I can take care of your friend well enough alone."

"Perhaps," Wufei said, following.

"I am expecting Heero to return within the fort-night," Quatre warned, seeing Wufei wasn't convinced.

"I can handle my own against that demon," Wufei growled. The animosity between the fire-wielder and the earth-wielder was well-known to the healer. The friendship the blond shared witht he latter was just another wedge between him and Wufei... between him and Trowa. For Heero, and Quatre himself, had refused to join the rebellion. Quatre's heart was bent on maintaining peace... he was a healer. Heero simply refused to be a pawn in history. He would help here or there, but Heero was his own master. Not even the amazing persuasive powers of the Southern Trinity itself could persuade Heero to join the resistance.

Quatre studied the young brunette now laying on one of his healing beds. Burnished chestnut hair was spread in disarray, and surprisingly vivid indigo eyes were blinking open.

"Calm," Quatre said softly, seeing the panic begin to come to life. Immediately, the panic snuffed out. Another thing about his unique, strong and rare gift that made Quatre different than most healers was his ability to lace his magic into his voice, and not just work it through his hands. Quatre saw Wufei's indignant look as his own body relaxed at the soothing, healing voice.

"My name is Quatre," he told the waking patient. "I am a healer, and I heal through magick. Do you understand?"

The boy nodded, still unsure, but calmed.

"I've healed your wounds, but you *must* take it easy for the next few days. Your injuries were severe; burns covered most of your body. Healing is an inexact art, no matter the skill of the healer. You will probably experience itching or tingling on your skin for about a fortnight or so, but it will diminish in time, and it won't be painful... more annoying than uncomfortable, even."

The boy nodded once more.

Quatre smiled. "Now... can you tell me your name? And then we will see about getting you some breakfast."

"I..." the boy swallowed. Fething a small cup of water, and holding it to the boy's lips, Quatre noted that his throat must be dry. The herbs he gave him often had that side-effect, but it was mild and temporary. "Duo," the patient managed, throat now wet and working a bit better. "My name's Duo."

"A pleasure to meet you Duo. Wufei, be a doll and go fetch Trowa, wouldn't you? The oats are cooking, the bread is warming... but he'll likely want tea, so he'll have to put the water on to boil."

Duo, his patient, looked as Wufei walked out of the room. Duo felt the power in the room diminish slightly as the dark haired man left, and he oddly felt that there was something about that man... something important, something familiar.

"Who...?"

Quatre smiled. "Wufei is the one who saved you. You owe him and Trowa both deep gratitude. I hear that burning at the stake is not a pleasant way to die... and not many survive it as spectacularly as you did, might I say. What power do you possess?"

"Heh?"

Quatre smiled at the confusion. "What talent do you have? Your gift? Why did they burn you at the stake? Or was it simple misunderstanding?"

Duo thought. He was already supposed to be dead... anything after this was borrowed time. So... what the hell?

"I... I make things move." He waved a hand weakly, and a wooden bowl on the table wobbled a bit before raising into the air.

"Impressive," Trowa commented, coming into the room with Wufei on his heels. Quatre laughed as Trowa's interruption caused the bowl to crash down onto the table.

"S'rry," the boy Duo said as he blushed in embarrassment. "I'm not usually so... weak."

"How strong is your gift?" Quatre asked, then decided to explain, least his patient get confused again. "How long can you lift something? How heavy? How many? Things like that."

Duo closed his eyes against the headache. Who was this cheerful person? He'd survived the stake? How... he remembered the flames not burning him, and then suddenly they were. What exactly had happened back in that village?

"I'm not sure. I never tested it. I managed to lift a wall of the...." he paused. Should he really tell them about the monastery?

"Maxwell Monastery?" The dark Wufei asked. Duo blinked. How had they....

"Yes... I lifted the wall when we were being attacked. They used explosives to topple the North wall, and I lifted it back up. I managed to hold it for an about an hour until they made it through the doors and I lost concentration."

Quatre nodded. "A fairly strong gift. According to the Trinity's basis, that would qualify as a level seven, maybe level eight."

Duo nodded in reply. "Father Maxwell told me I was a level six when I first came to the Monastery. But I never understood the basis."

Trowa smirked. "Few people do. It's a very... complicated.... process to judge a mage's talent in terms of strength."

"You're a mage, too, then? Another healer?"

Wufei shook his head. "We are all mages. But no, we are not healers. I am a fire-warrior from Ki-Lin. Trowa comes from Ellesmera."

Duo nodded. Quatre helped him set up, and served him a bowl of oatmeal before taking a seat in a chair next to him.

"Duo," Trowa asked, "What are your opinions on the theological views of Sanq?"

"Huh?" Duo asked, a spoon of oats in his mouth. Quatre shot Trowa a cold glare, but he explained.

"He's asking what do you think of the religion of the people in Sanq. What do you think of their view of the 'One God', their Earth god?"

Duo shrugged. "Not my place to judge. Lots of people called upon Iandros, but not me. I only believe in the God of Death. But let them believe what they want. I personally have nothing against their God, despite his so called dislike of magick. I just hate that king of theirs; I think it more of him poisoning their beliefs than their god doing it."

Wufei smirked, and nodded. "An astute observation. Which is mostly correct. Kushrenada has tainted the people's beliefs. They didn't like magick wielders... but it was Kushrenada that turned them to hating us, and burning us."

"There is a group," Trowa added. "A resistance, a rebellion of sorts. Magick-wielders that don't agree with he way Kushrenada has turned the people against mages. They are preparing to remove him from the throne by force if necessary to protect their own from his misguided followers."

Duo looked at these two before him. They were warriors, strong... it was easy to tell. These were rebels, these were fighters.

"Count me in. I'll help with whatever you want from me, just so long as I can help keep others from having to go through what I did."

Wufei nodded. "You will need rest first, but then we'll take you to Ellesmera. You can train with the others there, find a way of being useful."

"Don't you think he should know what he's getting himself into?" Quatre demanded, standing up. He'd finally had enough of this. "This isn't just to protect people! Not anymore. This rebellion of yours will turn into all-out WAR! People... more innocent people... will die. Fighting only lead to bloodshed. We healers have enough to do without maniacs out there trying to get themselves killed!"

Trowa blinked up at Quatre, surprised. No, he'd expected an outburst. Quatre would not just sit by idly while Wufei and himself recruited yet another sorcerer for the Ellesmeran rebellion. But it was the words Quatre spoke with vehemence, his voice cracking and breaking, teal eyes sparkling.

'... without maniacs out there trying to get themselves killed...' Trowa swallowed. Was that what Quatre had been trying to say months ago, when he'd demanded that Trowa leave the rebellion? Was *that* why Quatre was so upset with him?

He thought Trowa was seeking death?!?!

Trowa stood, oblivious to the curious look from Wufei and the confused one from Duo. "Quatre..."

"No! This... this is POINTLESS!!!" Quatre raged, aqua tears trembling in teal eyes, as he turned on his heel and dashing from the cottage.

"Quatre!?!" Trowa rushed after him, leaving two confused mages in his wake. He was not letting Quatre go so easily. Not this time. This time... they *would* resolve their problem.

"Quatre..."

~*~*~*~

AN: MUCH, MUCH thanks must go to Jewel Of Hell, for her suggestions on the names of the gods/goddesses in Atara. And for being the original inspiration for my first foray into fantasy! ^__^ Love you, girl!


	5. The Reluctant Princess

_**Trial By Fire**_

_**Chapter Four**_

_**The Reluctant Princess**_

**_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_**

_**(Several days earlier)**_

"It's not much, but it is all I could get."

The stone of the hidden passageway was damp and clammy around them, but Tarien held herself straight, her pink lips frowning. She didn't like not being able to get as much as she used to. Ever since Treize had found out what she'd been doing, it had been very hard to continue.

"It's more than most, my lady," Hilde said quietly, smiling. "Just like the king, most noble's simply don't care. You are different."

The two couldn't be more different. Hilde, her black hair chopped short, a contrast against the dull brown and white of her servant's dress. Tarien, her pale oaken hair falling loosely to her knees, beautiful against the pale yellow of her dress.

Tarien smiled at the other girl. "I told you to call me Tarien when we're alone. And thank you, Hilde. But don't let the king hear you say that. You'd be hung for treason."

"LADY TARIEN!!!!!!" came a voice from beyond the wall. "LADY TARIEN, WHERE ARE YOU!?!?!"

Tarien looked frantically behind her. If Myra found Hilde in here....

"Go! And Iandros watch over you!" She shoved the linen-wrapped bundle at the shorter girl. "Run, Hilde!"

Hilde turned to go, but stopped, looking over her shoulder.

"Thank you... Tarien."

And then she was gone. Tarien fled the other way, exiting the passage and stepping out behind the short, plump old maid who'd entered into the young ladies chambers without so much as a call or knock.

"Myra," she said, feigning boredom.

"My lady!" the woman bustled up to her. "Oh, dear, no this will not work." She darted over to the wardrobe. "That yellow is much too disgraceful. Here, the nice jade green works. It matches your eyes so well." She muttered as she pulled the floor length gown from the wardrobe. "Quickly, my lady! You haven't any time to waste. Your uncle, the King, has called you for an audience. You're to attend to his office straight away."

Tarien sighed as the old woman began tugging the yellow dress off. Tarien assisted, then helped pull the green dress up over her corset.

"And your hair!" Myra exclaimed, snatching a brush. "Well, there's not much we can do with it. A simple braid will have to work." She did as she said, brushing the hair quickly before pulling it into a braid over the girl's shoulder. "Now hurry, My lady! You mustn't keep his majesty waiting too long!"

Tarien sighed, and left Myra there gawking. Truthfully, Tarien didn't care. Treize Kushrenada could keep waiting for all she cared. She slowly, demurely made her way to her uncles office, waiting for the guard to announce her.

She was granted entrance. Her uncle sat not at his desk, but in one of the four comfy chairs on the opposite side of the room. Spreading her skirts, she dropped into a perfect curtsey. It was directed at her uncle, but was just low enough for the respect a princess should show a king and not any iota lower. She read the quick flash of annoyance across her uncle's face; he'd tried to convince her to show more respect. After all, she technically wasn't a princess anymore. While her mother, Amalia, had been Treize's older sister and once Queen... Amalia and her husband were long since dead. Leaving Tarien with only the titles to a duchy.

"Have a seat, my niece," Trieize said smoothly. As she did as bidded, she made no move to hide the narrowing of her eyes. Treize wanted something, she was sure. He only ever claimed their kinship if it was in his best interest to do so.

Her eyes barely glanced over the baron that sat across from her uncle. Tsubarov was a lecherous snake as far as she was concerned.

"My dear, you remember Baron von Tsubarov, right?"

"Of course," she replied prettily. "How is your wife? Lady Evangeline?

"Her name was Yevette," Treize corrected gently.

"Silly me," Tarien laughed. She knew full well that Evangeline had died years ago. Tsubarov went through wives faster than he did leggings!

"Yevette died three moons ago," Tsubarov stated.

"Oh," she said sadly. Again, an act. She knew full well that the dainty twenty year old girl had died in childbirth. Everyone knew that. But she did so enjoy tormenting her uncle.

"That is why I brought you here, Tarien," Treize interrupted. "Tsubarov has come asking your hand in marriage. And I think it's a splendid idea."

"No."

The word was out before she could stop herself. Marry? Tsubarov? She'd be dead within a season. She knew Treize wanted her gone, but to marry her to the scum that was surveying her like a piece of cattle?

"No," she repeated. "I shall not."

"Tarien," Treize said, voice edged with threats.

"No," she said again, standing up. "I will not marry this slimy, pathetic, lecherous, lily-livered, swine-hearted *cur*!"

"Sit down, girl." Treize snapped. "You will marry the good baron. It is the best possible match for you."

She laughed. "I'm the daughter of the *Queen*," she hissed laughingly. "And you think the leader of the smallest barony in Sanq is the best possible match? Why not marry *Marimaia* to him?"

Treize's eyes grew colder, if possible. He tolerated no ill-speaking of his daughter. And the look in his eyes told her he knew exactly what fate awaited the next wife of Tsubarov.

"You're the spoiled daughter of a dead queen," he said. "You will go through with this marriage, or you'll no longer have a place with this family."

Tarien laughed. She'd finally managed to rid herself of Treize? It was too good to be true. "What family?" she sneered. "As you just pointed out, my family is *dead*. I have no family. So do what you will, but I shall never marry that swine."

Treize stood to his height, towering regally over her. "This is the last time I will ask you. Will you marry the baron?"

Her eyes laughed into his cold ones. Her lips tilted into a smirk.

"No."

"Then Tarien Amalia of Vayette.... I here-by *strip* you of the title of Duchess of Tearan. You are disowned. Be gone. Leave all your things. You are no longer a Lady of the Realm, but a commoner."

She smiled at him. "And Treize Kushrenada of Romefeller... I here-by *curse* you. You are naught but a plague upon this good land, and one day you will be punished for your crimes against the people of Sanq."

* * *

_**(Present Day)**_

Heero's calm Prussian gaze took in every little detail of the stables, making silent notes and observations as the stable-master took the reigns of his excitable horse and yelled.

"Tarien! Come take this horse in hand."

Heero was about to protest when he saw the thin slip of a girl come up, lily-white hands reaching out for the bridle.

"Careful girl. He's not a...." He swallowed his words of warning when Wing immediately calmed under the girl's hands. "friendly horse." he finished quietly as he saw his horse wuffeling into the girl's shoulder. She smiled up at him.

"Girl's got a way with horses," the stable master said proudly. "She can calm even the ill-est tempered beast."

"Apparently," Heero stated, swinging from the sadle and wondering if maybe the lady had some type of horse-magic.

"Take 'im on, Tarien. Brush 'im good and give 'im a feed. Sir, she'll take good care o' your horse," he said to Heero as the girl lead the horse away. Heero frowned.

"Tarien... that's from the Old language. That's a nobel-woman's name. Her mother dared give her such a name?"

The old man chuckled. "You really are a stranger to these parts, eh? That be Tarien of Vayette. Not even six days ago she was Duchess of Tearan... daughter of the old Queen Amalia... neice of the *King*, the man said in a conspirator's whisper. "Cast her out, he did."

Heero looked to where the horse and girl had disappeared. Tarien of Vayette. Treize's niece. She had been disowned? He frowned. That had never been part of his plans. Of anyone's plans. The entire Kushrenada family was to be wiped out, including the Vayette lineage.

If this girl really was disowned by Treize, then she could be a twist in the plans... his plans, the resistance's plans. But why? Why had he cast her out?

Heero's Prussian blue eyes narrowed. It seemed like he had more work awaiting him that he'd first expected.


	6. You Are My Heart

_**Trial By Fire**_

_**Chapter Six**_

_**"You Are My Heart..."**_

"Quatre!!!!"

The blond managed to make it all the way to the cliffs, almost to the carved stone staircase that would lead him down to the beach, before the taller, faster man caught him, snatching his wrist to bring him to a stop.

"Let me go!" Quatre begged.

"No," Trowa said, tugging at the wrist to turn Quatre to face him. "Not this time. Is that what you really think? That I'm trying to... kill myself?"

"Of *course*," Quatre sobbed, his voice raising. "Trowa, who saved you when you decided to jump into that river without knowing how to swim? Who's had to patch you up when you go off and get so beat up that even your damn Ellesmeran self-healing trick doesn't work? Who's had to sit by and watch and wait... wondering if your next breath will be your last? Damn it all, Trowa... who's the one left behind while you go play soldier?"

Trowa blinked at the tears falling from those aqua eyes, the way they shimmered in the early morning sun.

"Quatre..." he said softly. "I may be a bit reckless or stupid sometimes... but trust me. I'm not seeking death. I haven't been... not since the day I met you. But I will risk my life to protect and uphold those things that I love. My family, my country, my beliefs.... and you. What can I do to prove to you that I don't want to die. Not as long as you love me. No... as long as I can have you, I want to live."

He leaned down and pressed his lips against the blond healer's. Sweet and tender, but full of fire and promise and passion.

"As long as you live.... I live," he whispered against his love's lips. Quatre looked up into those wild green eyes, unaffected by their oddity, by the slitted pupils.

"Promise?"

"I promise, Quatre. I will never willingly leave you."

Quatre's arms wrapped around Trowa, squeezing. "Okay," he said. "I love you."

The wind whipped around them, blowing Quatre's blue healer's robes around them. The spray of the sea settled in a fine mist on their skins.

"You are my heart Quatre. I cannot exist without you," Trowa whispered, his lips descending upon Quatre's.

"You're my breath," Quatre gasped against those sweet lips. "I'd die without you."

And at that thought, a tear slipped down his cheek. Because they could never *be*. Trowa belonged to Ellesmerea, and Quatre belonged here. Neither could or would budge on that fact.

"We'll find a way," Trowa comforted, kissing him again... and again and again.

"Quatre."

Quatre reluctantly leaned back and looked to where Wufei was walking slowly towards them. "Duo... he's complaining of a headache. I was wandering if you'd like me to give him a dose of cartain, or if you'd like to check him first?"

Quatre nodded. He'd had a fear that there might be some type of brain damage. Physical brain damage Quatre would be able to fix easily enough; but he couldn't heal the mind. "Of course. I'll be there to check in just a moment. I would hope I didn't miss anything, but there is a possibility that there was shock or a concussion that I missed."

Trowa almost smiled, but didn't let go of his love. At the first sign of danger, Quatre reverted into healer mode. Though Quatre's gift wasn't that of basic healing, like Quatre's distant cousin Sally, Quatre was through and through a healer. Quatre sent Trowa a soft smile, and a look that said they were not finished talking yet. That was perfectly fine with Trowa who nodded, then followed his lover and his partner back to the cottage.

~*~

Duo looked up when Quatre walked into the room. He'd eaten the majority of his meal in the absence of the healer, but a very horrible headache had set in. He hadn't wanted to say anything, but that damn dark-haired man was much too observant for his own good, and had immediately spotted Duo's discomfort. Duo hadn't wanted to interrupt Quatre, but Wufei would hear of nothing else.

"So, Wufei says you have a headache? Can you rate it for me? On a scale of one to ten, one being the least, and ten being the most."

"'Bout a five. Maybe six," Duo admitted.

"Hmmm," the healer muttered, looking perplexed. "Would you mind if I checked to see if I missed anything? I'm afraid I may have missed a concussion or something."

"Go ahead," Duo sighed. He hated the feeling of healers. Back at the Monastery, he'd made the acquaintance of several healers and healings. There was always a funny, uncomfortable feeling that accompanied them.

Quatre chuckled, seeing Duo's resigned look. "Don't worry, Duo. I shouldn't actually be healing anything, so no tickling, okay? If I do have to heal something, then you'll feel it, but for the most part, it shouldn't feel as bad as it normally does."

Trowa blinked, catching the look Quatre had made earlier- like he was trying to make a hard decision, and had decided on the one he didn't really like; he thought knew what Quatre was going to do. "It's like water, Duo. It feels like being in water, but not drowning. It's odd, but not as annoyingly painful as healing."

Duo nodded. "Go ahead."

Quatre settled on the edge of the bed, and placed his hands on either side of Duo's head.

"Just relax," he said, then poured himself into his calling.

It was impossible to explain to anyone exactly how a healer's magic worked; most explained it as being able to see what needed fixed, then doing it with magic. Simple for those who could do it... but impossible to understand to those who couldn't. And Quatre's magick was even more different. His magick relied not on his own strength... but that of the patient. He just asked the body to do what it wanted to do... just to do it faster. Unfortunately that made Quatre's healing touch more 'tickleish' than usual healing.

Duo winced a little. It *was* odd, but not in the way the tickling was. It felt as if someone had dumped luke-warm water on his head, but that the water didn't just run off. It permeated through his skin and into him, filling him with an odd sensation of floating in water, but from the inside. Very, very odd.

"Ah," Quatre said, slightly distracted by his work. "Duo, have you bumped your head recently?"

"No. But I got hit quite a few times. Bastards don't really treat you nicely when you're fixing to be burned at the stake," his voice was sarcastic.

"Hmm. That explains it. You have bruising inside your head that I didn't see yesterday. I'm going to heal it, but the tickling will feel different because of where the bruising is. Just hold on one moment."

A cool wave washed through Duo's head, and the tickling sensation that had surrounded the cut, or bruise, or broken leg, and other things that he'd had healed filled his mind. Duo almost laughed, and almost cried at the same time. He hadn't know your brain could be tickleish. What an odd thing. Oh, he thought of how skin sometimes itched after a healing. Would his brain itch like that?

Then, it was gone. The water feeling that is. Abruptly, it vanished, but the tickling merely settled int a vague sort of itch in hsi brain that remained for a few moments more before receding. With some amusement, Duo noted that his headache was gone, and even the blurriness in his vision- that he hadn't the guts to admit to- was gone.

"Can I have a glass of water?" He asked, the absence of the headache making him aware of the dryness of his throat.

Trowa chuckled. He knew exactly how Duo was feeling... having been there several times before.

"Of course. Trowa, hand me the bottle of Ceiralo extract." Trowa handed over a clear bottle filled with a purple-ish liquid, and a cup of water. Quatre added a few drops of the extract, then handed Duo the cup. "Ceiralo extract will get rid of the sore throat," he said. "I am sorry about the soreness; that is sort of my fault."

"Neh?" Duo asked around gulping the liquid- that had a strange fruity aftertaste.

Quatre smiled. "When they brought you, it was imperative that I get the best medicine into you as quickly as possible. I have two herbs, when combined, that make an excellent tea to ease pain and induce sleep. I needed them more concentrated- the tea slightly dilutes the mixture and delays it's effects. I had to make a paste and force-feed it to you."

"That doesn't fit with my knowledge of herbs," Duo said, finishing off the cup, noting wryly his sore throat was now soothed as well. Admittedly, Duo didn't know much of herbs, but he'd watched Sister Helen, the healer, at the Monastery quite often.

It was Trowa's turn to laugh. Duo blinked. It was quite an odd sound.

"They were Ellesmeran herbs, Duo. Things in Ellesmera don't always follow the normal way of things. Magick permeates the very land itself, from the trees to the grass and the flowers. It is believed that somehow, every magick user can trace his lineage back to the forest of Ellesmera."

"Hmmm...." Duo hummed. "So... d'you think I can learn about these herbs? About Ellesmera?"

Wufei nodded. "You want to travel with us to Ellesmera, correct? During your training there, Sally can teach you some about herbs. Most every mage that travels for the rebellion is trained at least some in herbs. Healers that you can trust are few and far between."

A soft chiming, tinkling sound echoed through the room. Duo looked around in confusion, Trowa remained impassive, Wufei frowned, and Quatre smiled. The blond got up and retrieved a small silver hand mirror from a table.

"Heero?"

Duo craned his neck, and gasped. Instead of the blond's reflection in the mirror... it was that of a dark haired, gold skinned man. Things like that just didn't happen!!! Magick or no magick, things like that were unheard of! Unless you were a scryer... which admittedly none of these three were. Maybe this Heero was a scryer?

But then how could he communicate through a mirror? Scrying was passive. It didn't affect anything at all! Oh, he could feel his headache returning, but not through injury this time!

Just what kind of people had he fallen in with?


	7. Reflections in a Mirror

_**Trial By Fire**_

_**Chapter Seven**_

_**Reflections In A Mirror**_

Heero couldn't get that girl out of his head. She was dangerous. She was a liability, an unknown. He didn't know why Treize had fallen out with her, but damnit... she was a Kushrenada. She was the daughter of Treize's own sister! She had to die along with the other two!

Heero shook his head, trying to clear it of those thoughts as he made his way silently into the servant's quarters. He was a master at sneaking around.. no one ever saw him leave the inn, much less make his way through into the castle itself.

A little child had told him- after much cajoling and showing of his own magic- that one of the maids here was a mage... a scryer. That she could make images of other things appear in the reflective surface of a bowl of water. He desperately needed to find her. She could help him reach Quatre... and he really had to speak with Quatre; this Tarien girl could throw their plans for a loop, now that she was outside Treize's castle.

Aha. Heero finally came through the corridor and into the servant's quarters. At least five pairs of eyes blinked up at him in confusion. Well. He obviously wasn't one of them... especially considering this was the women's sleeping quarters.

"What do you want?" A woman in the drab white and brown of the castle maid's uniform stood up, in front of the others. She looked about sixteen or so... older than the smaller maids that hid behind her. Her dark hair was cropped short, and her blue-black eyes glittered with inner strength.

"I am looking for a maid," he said. "They say she makes images appear upon still water," he added in almost a whisper. The girls gasped, but the one stayed firm. Barely a blink to give away she understood what he was talking about.

"We know of no such person," she lied. "Magick is forbidden by the King himself. If you're looking for another innocent person to hang, then look elsewhere. There is no-one here."

"I don't work for the king," Heero said evenly. He held out his hand, and the very stones that made up the room vibrated in their mortared foundation. Small pebbles on the floor rolled, called to his summons, gathering in a pile on the floor beneath his hand. "I work for no-one, but I am an ally of Ellesmera."

"Earth mover?" The girl asked skeptically. Heero nodded. She turned to the others. "Ellie, take the others. Leave us. You need not get involved with this."

One of the girls nodded, and they scurried away. The girl turned dark eyes back to him.

"This room will not be disturbed. I am Hilde. I use reflections. What brings an earth mover.. a rebel... to the castle of Kushrenada?"

"Recon. I need to relay information to a friend of mine. A healer several days from here. Can you help me?"

She held out her hands. "I show images of things I have scene. Of things I can imagine. Nothing else. I am sorry. I merely show reflections; I do not scry."

Heero nodded. "That is fine. My friend has a mirror. It is enchanted and blessed by the priestesses of the Southern Trinity."

"Enchanted by the Southern Trinity?" Hilde's eyes widened. "Who are you?"

"I am Heero. Someone trying to save many lives." He pulled a small black framed hand mirror from his belt. "Can you chanel your reflection power into this mirror? Just pull up some random image. The mirror will do what needs to be done."

She nodded, holding out her hand for the mirror. Heero held it out to her. She held the handle in one hand, and layed her palm over the surface of the glass. Only a second and the reflection of her palm faded, swirling into a hazy image of a grassy meadow. A second more... and that image disappeared. Hilde removed her hand in confusion. She'd never had her magic tingle like that. Something in the mirror tugged at her power. She wanted to pull back, but she didn't. There was nothing malicious in the tug.

Within a moment or two, a face appeared in that blank haziness. "Heero?"

"Quatre," Heero nodded, looking into the mirror. "I have news."

"So do I," Quatre sighed. "Trowa's here."

Heero blinked. He hadn't expected the Ellesmeran to show up again. "That's... surprising."

Quatre inclined his head. "Yes. But not as surprising as the young man they've brought. It seems Wufei and Trowa have recruited my newest patient. He's a 'mover', Heero. Not as strong as you. No where near as strong as you, but he is not limited to earth. It seems he can move anything."

"Hn. I'm in Treize's castle. I arrived last night."

"Yes. What's the state of the palace?"

"Treize is as ruthless as ever. Three mages were burned yesterday."

"And what do you think? Will the plan be plausible?" Quatre's nose wrinkled as he thought about the 'plan'.

Heero shook his head. "Maybe. Treize's niece has been exiled from the castle. She resides within the city and works in the stables now."

Quatre's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Unknown, but chances are slim we could take them all out at once."

Abruptly the image snapped away. Hilde snatched her magic back, severing the connection and tossing the mirror to the stone floor.

"What?" She demanded. "What do you mean 'take them out'!?!?!?!"

Heero glared at the girl. "Kill the royal family. With the Kushrenada's gone, control can revert back to the Peacecraft family. They will likely set up a government like is in Ki-Lin. The people will govern themselves. Don't you wish to see Treize dead?"

"Of course. Kill Treize to your heart's content. Murder the whore of a daughter of his. But you will NOT kill Tarien."

"She is a Kushrenada."

"She is different," Hilde argued. "She cares about people. She does not need to die."

"My mission is to destroy all Kushrenada's. I do not care if you have a soft spot for the girl. She must die."

Hilde's soft features hardened, and those eyes glittered with suppressed rage.

"No. I do not care what you do to the king or his daughter. But I will protect Tarien till my dying breath. I *believe* in her."

"It could well be your dying breath," Heero said. "I will kill the girl, and you cannot stop me." A tremor ran through the ground beneath them. Hilde growled... and suddenly Heero could not see. His vision blanked out, replaced by a horrible, stormy night.

No... it was not in his mind, but he could see nothing but the shadowy darkness of a stormy forest. It was his eyes, he realized.

Damn.

The girl was talented enough to project her images on the reflective surface of his eyes. How in Arzanth's name had she managed to do that!?

Two minutes later, the image cleared... and he was alone.

Damn. The girl would tell Kushrenada's niece. There would be no easy way to get to her now. Heero snatched his mirror and quickly fled the castle.

How could things possibly get worse?

~*~*~*~

Dorothy awoke with a start. She could instantly feel Relena and Meiva both startling awake as well. She didn't even pause to throw on a robe against the chill as she ran from the room. She was a mage of Ice, so often the cold nights of her southern home didn't bother her.

All three priestesses shared a wing of the Abbey, with seperate bedrooms but a common receiving area, library, and study. Dorothy reached the study at the same time as her two younger counterparts.

"Syraena is not happy," Meiva stated. She was the youngest of them at almost fourteen turns.

"Something is upsetting Nyali," Dorothy confirmed. "She is restless." They both turned to the twenty-turns old Relena for further acknowledgement of the predicament. Relena was paler than usual, completely shaking. Both sisters reached out to hug her in the same instant.

"And Tylane?" Meiva asked softly, almost dreading the answer.

"Horrified...." Relena gasped out. "And terrified. She is sickened."

Dorothy nodded sadly. "Something has the Goddesses paniced. We should try scrying for the trouble. They will tell us what we should know."

Meiva agreed quickly, and they both led Relena to the table in the study. The table was not a table in truth. The smooth, pristine glassy surface was really water. Clear water gathered in a large basin, some two feet in diameter, and maybe three or four inches in depth at the center. All three women focused on what they wanted to know... why the Southern Trinity was so upset.

"From Nyali comes darkness... the deepest of night," Dorothy intoned, touching the center of the pool with her middle finger. The ripples started, moving towards the outside. The moment the first ripple broke on the edge, Relena's finger was starting another.

"From Tylane come light... the brightness of day,"

The process repeated, Meiva touching the surface calmly.

"Syraena to balance them... like daybreak and twilight."

At Meiva's last syllable, when the final and last ripple reached the outside edge, the pool changed. The water's reflection swirled into a rainbow of colors, predominately white, black, and gray. And from that swirl, an image appeared. The visage of a rather handsome man with ginger hair and cold hazel eyes.

"Treize of Sanq," Dorothy spat. "A swine in man's clothing if ever there was. So he's the cause of this."

"Sanq has been under his control for years, always the same," Meiva mused. "So why are the goddesses only now worried?"

The image swirled again, a profile of another man filling the pool. Older, more mature with an air of great power around him. His skin showed the slight tan of years spent outdoors, his hair was combed neatly, and his brown eyes reflected intelligence, ruthlessness, and magick. His body looked to be tall and muscular underneath the midnight black of his robes.

All three women gasped.

"No," Relena whispered.

"It can't be!" Meiva exclaimed. There was no mistaking the likeness of the Grand Duke Dermail of the Southern Plains. But he was thought dead long ago; killed by Ki-Lin warriors when the duke had tried to use his unusual power of persuasion and mind control to attack a Ki-Lin village and gain land.

Dorothy's mouth dropped open, tears stinging her unbelieving eyes.

"No," she whispered. "Grandfather......"


	8. Under The Surface

_**Trial By Fire**_

_**Chapter Eight**_

_**Under The Surface**_

Duo sighed, leaning down. Quatre had left to go talk on his little mirror, and Wufei was nowhere to be seen. Duo didn't know why, but the presense of the Ki-Lin warrior was soothing to him. He cast a glance at Trowa, who sat in a nearby chair, looking for all the world as if he was meditating... looking as gentle as a kitten. But Duo knew better. He'd seen a certain... wildness in Trowa's eyes, he'd heard it in his voice. It was suppressed, but it was there none the less.

"Trowa?" Duo questioned.

A clear green eye raised to meet his gaze. Duo almost shuddered. The rumors would *have* to be true with eyes like that.

"Are the rumors true?"

An eyebrow raised. "Which rumors?"

"Um.... ah....."

"Ask, little one. You do not need to fear insulting me. My culture is far less strict on things like that than Sanq."

"Um... well, the rumors.... that everyone from Ellesmera are all savage beasts?" Duo's voice was little more than a squeak. It was un-nerving to look into such clear, vibrant eyes, slitted like some great cat's. Even in the slightly dimmed light inside the cottage, there was more iris than pupil visible.

To his surprise, Trowa looked thoughtful and not insulted. "Duo... everyone has wildness in them. A certain savagry. Don't ever let anyone tell you differently."

"Even Quatre?" Duo asked skeptically. He had a hard time beleiving the kind healer as being savage. Trowa merely nodded.

"Not everyone born in Ellesmera is Lewan." At Duo's confused look, Trowa exlplained. "I am Lewan. Lewan. It's just the name we have for those with this particular gift. Just like you'd call a healer a healer. In the Lewan, because of our gift, our instinct... that natural wildness... is just closer to the surface and therefor harder to control."

"But you do control it," Duo pointed out. To him, that was far more important than the fact that Trowa admitted to being a beast in the first place.

Another nodd. "It's just a matter of finding that one thing that can ground you. A focus, a connection to keep you human, keep that beast... that wildness... harnessed."

Duo watched closely as Trowa's eyes softened as he spoke of focusing. That peaceful, sweet, almost gentle look that crossed his face. Duo smirked softly. Aha!

"And Quatre is your focus?"

Yet another nodd. "Yes. Quatre is my focus... my life, my reason for living. He's my heart and soul... even if he doesn't want to be."

"By Mystra's womb, Trowa," Quatre cursed, suddenly appearing in the doorway, mirror held down. "You've got more to live for than just me. You've got more to live for than any one person or thing. I hate hearing you talk like that."

Trowa raised a single shoulder in a non-chalant shrug. "I love you," he said, as if that admission made everything perfect.

Quatre's glare lessened, but didn't disappear. "And I you, but that does little in this world."

"Without you... I would not be able to chain the animal inside me," Trowa admitted, emerald eyes meeting aqua. Duo was forgotten as they stared each other down. "If I become more animal than human... I'd not want to live anyway. So it matters not wheather you want me to go on living. I'd rather die than become a beast."

The last of the anger in Quatre's eyes vanished. "I know it's more than just a feeling, Trowa," he said softly. "I know how deep the bond goes. I feel it as strongly as you do. I just wish it didn't have to be that way. Why can't love be enough?"

Trowa shrugged. He didn't have the answer. He didn't think there was an answer... and he didn't think Quatre expected an answer.

"We have a problem," Quatre said, as if remembering something. "Heero's in Sanq."

"And that's a problem.... why?" Wufei asked, blinking an eye open. Duo could almost laugh. There was definate dislike dripping from Wufei's voice.

"He's at Kushrenada's palace," Quatre added.

Onyx, Emerald, and Amythest eyes blinked up at him.

"That... that's suicidal!" Duo gasped. "He's a magick weilder like you all, right? That's the least safest place on Atara!"

Quatre nodded. "For some people, yes. But only if you're caught. Heero's probably the best soldier this side of Ki-Lin. Maybe on the whole of Atara. He's very good at hiding his abilities if the need arises; Heero has nothing to fear. But he did have some disturbing news."

"News of...." Wufei prompted.

"Kushrenada's neice," the blond healer replied.

"The daughter of Amalia the Righteous," Trowa mused. "What about her?"

"Kushrenada disowned her," Quatre continued. "Striped her of her titles and cast her out of the palace. Aparently she's working in the city stables at the moment."

"Zhao ma," Wufei cursed harshly. "Our plan centered on the castle. We will have to recalculate our plan. We have to take them all out at one time. We'd planned on them all being in the castle. Damn."

"What?" Duo perked up. "What are you talking about? Assasinating the royal family?"

"Affirmative," Trowa replied.

"There must be another way," Quatre murmered. "One that does not involve murder."

"Hey," Duo held up his hands. "I'm all for torching the palace and beheading that monkey they call 'king'. But I draw the line at killing innocents. If that's the kind of thing you're into, then count me out!"

"No Kushrenada is 'innocent'," Wufei spat.

Duo bristled. "Hey. Father Maxwell spoke very highly of the Queen Amalia. He never spoke ill of her. No one did. She was revered."

Quatre inclinded his head. "Indeed. There was reason she was called 'Righteous'. She had a good head on her shoulders. I'd not call her gentle. Or virtuous. But she was not an unkind ruler."

"And I've never heard ill of her daughter either," Duo added. "I've not heard much about her, but what I have heard has all been good. from what I've heard she's a kind, sweet little girl."

"Once upon time, that description applied to Marimaia Kushrenada," Wufei said. "I met her once. She was a sweet little girl. Now, she's as black-hearted as her father."

"Her nearness to Treize corrupted her," Trowa nodded. "We cannot be sure the same has not happened to Amalia's daughter. It is best to eliminate the whole family and start fresh with a clean slate and a ruler chosen by the people."

"Democracy," Wufei told Duo. "Ruling by the people for the people. The subjects should get a chance to appoint their own leader, someone *they* want."

"But what the people want isn't always what the people need," Duo stated, firm in his resolve.

Wufei snorted. "You sound like Quatre. Our plan was perfect. We'll just have to recalculate things. Hn. Maybe Heero could make the girl's death seem like an unfortunate accident? Surely the picking them off one by one thing could work if they're seperated."

"Maybe," Trowa mused.

"No." Duo stood, wobbling a bit on legs that didn't seem to want to support his weight. "I will not condone murder. I've seen enough of needless killings in my life. If the girl hasn't taken part in her uncle's campaigns... then I say let her live. I'll not rest under the roof of murderers."

"Calm," Quatre hissed, aqua eyes locking onto the stressing brunette. Duo swayed, and abruptly sat down, the anger flooding out of his body, if not his mind. What the hell? Violet eyes locked onto the blond.

That man was more than a mere healer, Duo thought.

"You're not resting under the roof of murderers. You're resting under *my* roof. And I am a healer first and foremost. So behave and *rest*, youngling." Quatre turned his aqua eyes to Trowa. "And I agree with him, Trowa. But you already knew that."

Duo looked from one to the other, then shook his head. He'd never understand these people.

"You love each other, and yet you can't even agree on anything except that you love each other. How do you stay together? How do you stand beneath that?" He asked, almost unaware that he'd spoken.

Quatre looked at him, eyes glittering, but it was Trowa that spoke.

"Because we love each other," was the simple reply. Stated as if it was the easiest thing in the world. And maybe it was, Quatre thought.

It was, at once, both the easiest thing they'd ever done.... and the hardest.


	9. Moonlight and Innocence

AN: See? Not dead. ^_^ This fic is still very much alive. Sorry for the LONG wait, but Vegas sort of had me under it's spell for a while. Now, here is the next chapter, with a bit of lemony-lime-citrus type flavor. So be warned, this chapter is rated M, although- as always- I am very non-graphic about it. Oh.. and the lemon is dedicated to SilentEpiphany, one of my dear muses. Her vague words started a plot-bunny rampage and caused almost a total... um... epiphany. I didn't like the way it was going, so I'm going in a few new directions with it. So, enjoy this new chapter!

Trial By Fire

Moonlight and Innocence

#

Midii nearly screamed as she pulled herself out of the vision. Tears poured down her face as she scrambled away from the stone bowl where she'd been washing her face. She had to get to the Trinity.

She paid no heed to her state of half-dress as she sprinted down the halls of the nearly palace-like sanctuary- the Convent. She'd been preparing for bed when the vision had hit her, harder than anything she'd seen or felt before.

"My ladies!" She screamed, stumbling towards the secluded wing that was home to the three Priestesses of the Southern Trinity.

"Midii, child, what's wrong?" Relena was upon the woman in an instant, the first of the Trinity out of the door."

Meiva and Dorothy followed quickly behind her, the two stronger of the Trinity moving to support Midii as her strength flagged and she nearly collapsed.

"My sight, ladies," she said. "I had a vision. A terrible vision."

"Dorothy, the chaise," Meiva whispered, and together the two priestesses supported the woman into the secluded wing and onto a chaise lounge. Relena appeared with a shallow cup of water and helped her to drink.

Dorothy seated herself on the chaise beside Midii. "Will you tell us of your vision, seer?

Midii nodded. "I saw... I think it was the kingdom of Sanq," she replied softly. "Only, it was in shambled. War and famine plagued the villages, and the castle was completely holed up. Some six people were eating... a feast! A feast of all things, while the people suffered. One of the women at the table stood up, complaining. She began to argue in favor of the people, saying that 'this was not the reason the council was created. We were supposed to create a better kingdom, instead we'd have been better off still under Kushrenada's rule.' And then, another man lifted his hand, and it was as if lightning stuck, and she was dead." Midii burst out into tears. "I don't understand, ladies. Why?"

Dorothy's eyes met those of her two counterparts, and she nodded. "Midii, we need to discuss this. Rest here, we'll be back shortly."

She stood, and Relena and Meiva followed her into another room, Meiva closing the doors behind them.

"Conflicting visions!" Dorothy exclaimed. "If my grandfather truly is helping Treize, it would be close to impossible to defeat him!"

"And yet Midii just said that Treize had been overthrown. It seemed as if a council ruled instead of one monarch," Relena murmured.

"Democracy," Meiva decided. "That's what the Resistance plans on, no? Governed by the people, a council of representatives elected for each region?"

"Only the people at mass are too foolish for their own good," Dorothy surmised. "And the people they elect are worse than Kushrenada."

"Some people are too child-like to receive freedom too quickly," Relena added. "Sisters... this is growing too complicated. Between Dermail and Treize, and now such an uncertain future... things are not looking so good."

Dorothy looked at her sisters. "You may not like the idea... but I have a plan."

#

Quatre lay stick straight on his small little cot. He'd given Duo a relatively clean bill of health before he'd retired for the night; as long as the 'mover' didn't rush recovery, he should be okay to travel on the morrow- something Wufei was very keen to be doing- Wufei never liked staying in one place too long.

Months of laying alone had taken their toll on the healer, and now... Trowa was but feet away- though it might have been miles. With an aggravated sigh, he rolled over and out of the lonely bed.

Not wanting to wake the two that were sleeping in the common area, he carefully crawled out of the window, letting the moonlight illuminate his way as he traced a path around the house to the back porch. The door to the inside was closed, and in front of it, Trowa rested in a hammock strung between the porch supports. In the darkness, Aqua eyes met slitted Emerald. So Trowa hadn't been able to sleep, either.

Silent as mist, Quatre picked his way forward. With never a word spoken, he lifted a knee, braced it beside Trowa's waist, on the netting, then, Trowa rolling slightly to balance, Quatre slide up onto him. They were old hands at the balancing act, and Quatre was quite at ease laying himself down flush against Trowa's lean body.

"Missed you", he murmured, kissing Trowa's neck.

"Always," Trowa replied softly, his hands tracing paths up Quatre's sides, over his back.

"You're going to Ellesmera tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Wufei wants to leave by noon," was the downcast reply.

"I'm going with you," Quatre said, off-handedly. "I need to restock my herbs, and trading with Sally is the best way. Besides, it's been a long time since I've seen Noin. I should pay my respects."

"Only fitting, as you are an Ellesmeran citizen."

"Half," Quatre sighed, knowing it was useless to argue the entire point. Not now... not when he was touching Trowa like this. No... arguing could wait.

Trowa, too, wouldn't argue the point. He knew Quatre wouldn't stay. Quatre would come back, here to Clare. That was understood. And there would be little time on the long road for touching like this... he would content himself with now, and take pleasure in Quatre's company later.

"Trowa," Quatre breathed, moving ever so slightly, pressing his body against his lover's. "Please," he begged.

"Shhhh," Trowa comforted him, even as he used his touch to light fires along Quatre's nerves, even as the small blond kissed his neck, returning the fire.

Hands wandered, kisses trailed. Breaths came in soft gasps, skin glistened with perspiration as clothes were lost. The full moon shone down, shedding it's unyielding light upon the young lovers.

"Now," Trowa whispered, gazing up in awe at a sight he would never tire of... a sight that would never fail to make him wonder what he had done to deserve such beauty. Quatre, arched above him, gold hair glimmering pale white in the moonlight and aqua eyes shadowed to dark cobalt as he lowered himself down onto Trowa.

"Mine," Trowa affirmed, hands tracing down smooth, pale skin.

"Always."

And together, they came. Moving together, loving together.

Always together.

#

Duo woke up near dawn, rolling over. The itching sensation had dulled, but in it's wake, it left him with another problem. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore it, trying to let the light of the banked fire send him to sleep.

No such luck. With a silent groan, he sat up, testing his feet on the ground. He was a bit wobbly on the, having not walked in a few days now, and the itchiness intensified in his legs. He paused for a moment to gain his equilibrium again, then set carefully across the room, towards the back door. Trowa'd mentioned something about an outhouse...

Wufei was asleep, sitting up in a chair in front of the fire. Duo quietly crept past him, but was shocked with a golden hand reached out and grasped his wrist.

"I wouldn't go that way if I were you," Wufei said softly.

Duo blinked. He'd never seen Wufei move a muscle. He was good. Even now, his eyes were closed, his whole body at ease, except for the one arm that still gripped Duo's wrist.

"I've gotta pee," Duo insisted. "I won't wake Trowa up, if that's what you're worried about..."

"No. I'm more worried about what you'd see, little one."

"Huh?"

Onyx eyes blinked open at him. "They're lovers. This is the first night they've had together in many, many months. You do the math."

Duo looked from the Ki-Lin warrior to the door and back again. "You mean... they..."

Wufei nodded. "Use the front door. It's safer."

Duo narrowed his eyes. "I know about sex," he snapped. "I'm not that innocent."

Wufei observed him with those eyes, the black glittering with firelight, and Duo could momentarily feel the heat of flames under the skin that touched him. Then, the hand was gone.

"You're still young," Wufei commented. "Too young. You **are** innocent, compared to the likes of us. If you travel with us... you'll loose that innocence. You'll have to kill. Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into? We are not nice people."

"You do have some kindness," Duo reasoned, "Else you wouldn't be trying to warn me. And like I said... I'm not that innocent." He'd picked up that Wufei hadn't been talking about sex anymore. True, Duo was innocent in the technical sense that way, but he knew the logistics of it.

"You forget," Duo said, voice low and husky, "what happened at the Maxwell Monastery. I'm far from innocent."

He turned his back on the fire-mage and continued on slowly to the door.

"You've more innocence than you think," Wufei said. "Remember that... for if you leave this place with us tomorrow... you won't keep it for long."

Duo snorted, and walked out the door, leaving Wufei sitting alone.

Onyx eyes stared at the door, even after the braided boy had disappeared from sight. There was a kindness in the boy, Wufei saw. A kind of purity. He figured it was the same kind of purity Quatre had before he'd found Trowa. Even if he had taken lives before... it hadn't changed his soul. Even if he wasn't a virgin to sex, they hadn't touched his innocence.

If he went to Ellesmera... the forest and it's secrets would take that purity, change his soul. It always did. If Wufei were to touch him, he'd take that innocence.

And Wufei surprised himself- a part of him **wanted** to take that innocence, to see what the braided boy would look like as a man, what he'd look like flushed from desire, with the fire of passion burning along his nerves. It was the first time in a long time he'd felt a yearning like this; he hadn't felt it for anyone since...

Wufei shifted in his seat, and glared at the fire.

'Damn it all, Yuy,' he thought angrily. 'I hate you for this. For what you've done to me.'

#

To Be Continued...


	10. On The Road Again

Dedication: Animechan123. *huggles* Now, I've made this chapter a bit longer, just for you. Hope you enjoy, dearest!

#

Trial By Fire

On The Road Again

#

"Such a good boy," Tarien cooed, rubbing down the large horse. Wing, as that newcomer this morning had called the horse, was a great brute of a beast. A true warhorse if ever she saw one, with a temperament to match, usually. He'd tried- once- to nip her, but he'd not dared try again. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but apparently something about her calmed the horses. They all took a great liking to her, and sometimes she swore she could almost hear them thinking.

But that was silly. And impossible.

"Tarien! My Lady!"

Tarien nearly dropped the brush, placing a hand out to calm Wing from getting upset.

"Hilde?" Tarien blinked up as the short haired girl came bursting through the stable doors. She rarely saw the maid outside of the castle.

"Come, your majesty. We've got to get you moved! Away from here," Hilde said, grabbing Tarien's hand and pulling her away.

"Wait, wait! Hilde, what's gotten into you?" The former princess dug in her heels as her friend tried again to pull her.

The dark haired girl turned to face Tarien. "Princess, *please*," she begged. "They want to kill you!"

"What?" She blinked. "Kill me?"

"Tarien, please," Hilde cried, tugging her again. Tarien blinked and started to follow when the door to the stable was blocked.

"You!" Hilde hissed, immediately placing herself between Tarien and the newcomer. Tarien peeked at the boy. His hair was dark brown, eyes smoldering Prussian blue. He was lean and looked ready to kill.

"Stand aside," the boy growled. Not boy, Tarien noted. He was a man grown, several years older than her, at the least. But maybe not more than five or six. Wait... it was... it was Wing's master. She remembered. What was going on here.

"You're not getting to her while I'm still alive," Hilde hissed. "I'd be dead and burried before I let you harm her."

"That *can* be arranged," the man pointed out. "I will make this swift and easy on all involved. I'm not looking for a mess."

"You'll get one if you don't move and leave us be. Please. She doesn't even *want* the throne."

"Inconsequential."

Tarien looked from Hilde to the man in front of her and back again. "What's going on? I demand to know!"

The ground beneath then rumbled as the man's prussian blue eyes glittered. "What's going on? I have to kill you. All Kushrenada's must die."

The ground rumbled... then the rocks started to roll, all the pebbles gathering around them.

"What? What is happening? Hilde?" Frightened, faced with an obviously powerful magick user, Tarien clung to the maid's back.

Suddenly, Wing neighed, causing the earth to stop moving, the pebbles rolling back under natural gravity. The horse had burst through the door of his stable, breaking the loose rope and cantering between his master and the stable hand.

Hilde took her chance and glared at him... and Tarien could see the blank, glassy look that overtook the man's eyes even as she struggled to gain hold of Wing's reigns.

"Enough," he shouted, and the glassiness was gone. Hilde blinked, for the first time, showing a little fright as she once again tried to pull Tarien behind her, this time moving Tarien and the prancing horse.

"Hilde! What's going on?" Tarien asked, frightened.

"Run, Tarien!" Hilde shouted, turning and pushing the lady, towards the back of the stables... towards the other exit.

A wall of earth sprung up in front of them, preventing their escape.

"I'm sorry," the man said. "But I cannot let you get away. I must kill you."

He raised a hand, and the earth began to rumble again.

"Swift, painless," he said. "Just... go to sleep..."

"Never," Hilde hissed, and again pushed her power out, using the reflective surface in his eyes as a medium for her magic. It took but a moment, and the two were gone, sprinting around him as he fought against the blinding magic.

Curses, he thought when he finally regained his sense of sight. Never matter. He would find them again.

And they would not escape.

Heero glared at the ground beneath him, carefully reconstructing the wall of earth, pulling it back down and smoothing it all out and then comforting his horse. If the princess had her own magical protection... he'd need more help. And what was with Wing protecting her. He glared into the dark brown eye of his horse.

"Traitor," he muttered.

Damn it all, he thought, turning around. He'd have to crawl back to Ellesmera- and that thrice damned fire mage- again.

#

Morning in Clare Canyon was a rather somber affair. Quatre had woke, contented in Trowa's arms, curled into his side. They dressed quietly, starting a light breakfast of tea and oats. It hadn't been long before Duo woke up. Quatre noticed a bit of tension between the telekinetic and the fire-mage that wasn't there before, but didn't bother commenting on it. Wufei would clam up, and he doubted Duo would be much more forthcoming, so the healer left it be as he went about his business.

Trowa helped him with packing his healer's bags, and Quatre went through his personal belongings. There was a pendant he'd been given as payment that he'd saved for Trowa's sister, Catherine. A small bag of quartz crystals he'd gathered for Sally. A unique one-of-a-kind book preserved from an old Ki-Lin Monastery for Lucrezia Noin. And, of course, a money pouch for traveling through Sanq, and a bag of gemstones for once they reached Ellesmera- where coins were not the main mode of trade and commerce.

Wufei, taking Quatre's decision to travel with them in stride, looked to Duo and announced they should take the cart, as there was so much stuff to take- and Duo should be able to rest better in a cart than on a bouncing horse.

Quatre'd agreed readily, and Wufei uncovered the small wagon at the side of the cottage. It was a modest affair, two wheeled, but with a heavy tarp cover that was tall enough so that Wufei could almost stand straight inside it. Trowa helped Quatre toss the medicine bag, and the bag of 'presents' into the cart. Quatre offered to let Trowa and Wufei keep their packs there, too- to save their horses. Quatre even found a few articles of clothing and a heavy cloak for Duo, as the boy's clothes weren't in the best of shape.

Duo rested, leaning against the wall of the cottage and watching the others move about their activities.

"The cart's a good idea and all," Duo commented, "But wouldn't you need a horse or two to pull it?" He looked around, not seeing any livestock. "Speaking of which... how did we get here?"

Wufei smirked, and let out a loud, shrill whistle. Trowa followed it up with one of his own, only a tone or so different.

Duo watched, mystified, as a few minutes later, two horses trotted into the clearing around the cottage.

"Duo," Wufei smiled, "Meet Nataku. She helped me bring you here." Duo looked over the magnificent animal- almost fifteen hands tall, all black save for the 'socks' on all four hooves and her tail and mane- both a dusty gray.

"And that's Vayeate," Wufei waved to the beautiful white and gray dappled horse, only fourteen hands high, but with the strong hindquarters that promised a good jump. "Trowa's horse."

Duo compared the two horses to the cart. "It will take us a long time to get there, will it not? Those horses are too small to pull that cart all the way out of Sanq."

Wufei sent a glare to the boy. "Nataku... and Vayeate... are strong horses. They could pull the cart easily, if they wanted to."

"Calm down, 'Fei," Quatre chuckled. "We all know that Nataku is the best, most smartest horse to ever roam the realm. But, Duo, I agree. It would be unfair to ask two riding horses to pull a wagon of this size."

He placed two of his fingers to his lips and let out a whistle, louder, shriller, and longer than the two previous ones. Quatre doubled the whistle, making two distinct sounds.

Quatre stood back, waiting. For a moment, for two. And then two more horses trundled into the clearing.

"Duo... meet my horses- Sandrock and Zero."

"That's not a horse! That's a damned elephant!" Duo exclaimed, looking over the horses.

Quatre chuckled, then clucked the horses closer, tossing the bridles on them. Sandrock was a huge horse, nearly a hand and a half taller than Nataku, with a light reddish blond coat- caught somewhere between palomino and flaxen chestnut- that did, indeed, resemble it's namesake. Zero was a only a half-hand smaller than Sandrock, but white with dark brown socks, mane and tail, and a line two inches wide that trailed from nose to tail along his spine.

Quatre easily got the two horses set to the cart- after Sandrock nearly deafened him with a whinny right in his ear. Both horses got a treat while being hooked up.

"Sandrock's not the brightest horse ever," Quatre whispered to Duo, "But he's strong and loyal. Zero's more the brains of the pair. She keeps Sandy in line for me. Don't you, darlin'?" Quatre smiled, ruffling the horse's mane. He got a whuffle in response.

Duo smiled. "So... are we ready to go, then?"

Quatre nodded. "I'd bet. Trowa? Wufei? Are you two saddled up?"

"Affirmative," Wufei said, swinging into his saddle. Trowa was a beat behind.

Quatre, satisfied everything was in order. "Into the cart you go, Duo."

Duo easily managed into the cart, Quatre following right behind, settling down right beside him and picking up the reigns. He clucked at the horses, barely giving a flick of the reigns, and they were off.

"I'll swing out to Iria's and let her know you're gone," Trowa called, riding alongside the cart.

Quatre nodded; the fellow healer- though not a magical one- would keep her eye on the estate and be sure not to send anyone down there if he wasn't home. "Meet us on the road, then."

"By nightfall," Trowa agreed, and nudged Vayeate.

#

Trowa kept his promise, Duo noted. The sun was exactly halfway visible over the horizon when Trowa ambled back to them from out of nowhere it seemed. They stopped shortly thereafter for the night in a small little clearing set back in the woods a few meters. It seemed like the three were old hands at this, Duo noticed. They moved around each other like in a dance, no two people trying to do the same thing.

Without a word being spoken, Trowa took care of the bedding down the four horses, Wufei set about gathering a little wood and lighting a fire. And Quatre began to show Duo the bedding. He hung a hammock up, then rolled out two more traditional beddings of sheet and blanket.

"Do you want to sleep outside by the fire or would you feel safer in the cart?" Quatre asked him. Duo looked from the cart, to Wufei, adding sticks to an already well-started fire.

If this had been any other group, Duo would have vouched for the cart. Anything to be off the ground, away from the others. But now, here, he surprised himself.

"I'd feel safer with Wufei."

Quatre blinked, and Wufei looked up at him, a little shocked it seemed. And then, as quickly as it began, it passed, and Quatre nodded. "Sensible of you. If we were attacked, it would be safer for you to be near Wufei and the fire."

"I'm done with the horses. Any preference for supper?" Trowa asked, quiet as ever.

"Hmm... anything would work," Wufei said thoughtfully. "Rabbits are plentiful this season, but the first thing you come across should be fine."

Trowa nodded, and turned to walk away from then, untucking his shirt as he went.

"Wait..." Duo ran up to him, having noticed something. Trowa looked back at him, and Duo's mouth opened. "Your eyes..."

Trowa closed them, and turned back. "It's complicated."

"But..." Duo sputtered. He was just walking away, tugging his shirt up.

"Don't you need your bow?" Duo asked, confused. "Can't catch much without any weapons."

Trowa shook his head. "I have all the weapons I need," he replied, never stopping as he shrugged out of his shirt and disappeared into the brush.

Duo turned to Quatre, confused. "His eyes... they... they were different. Before, they were slitted, and now... they look normal."

Quatre nodded. "A small problem with Lowan," he shrugged. "Their type of magic is different than ours, but still the same. It's difficult to always control, so small signs give them away. For Trowa, it's his eyes. The more control he has, the less you can tell."

"So he has more control today than yesterday?"

Quatre nodded again.

"Why?"

Quatre shook his head, and walked away to go gather other things. Duo turned back to Wufei and repeated the question.

Wufei sighed, making sure Quatre was out of earshot before standing to whisper to Duo. "Put it together. Quatre. Quatre is his control. I was, truthfully, beginning to worry about him. And I worry just as much when they're together... but for different reasons. Don't think so much on things that aren't about you. It'll just give you a headache."

Duo looked to Quatre, then back to Wufei and nodded. "Okay. How long will it take us to reach this Ellesmera?"

"Another five days on this road, then we branch off onto another road. No more than two weeks on that road, if we keep up a decent pace. Less, if we move quickly."

Duo glanced up at the sky. Three weeks, he thought. Three weeks, and then he could decide if he wanted to fight or not.

'Father Maxwell,' he thought, 'Forgive me if I choose to fight. But I must prevent what happened to you, to the others, from happening to anyone else. Forgive me.'


	11. The Daughters Of Mystra

Trial By Fire

The Daughters of Mystra

#

The road to the forest of Ellesmera, Duo discovered, was a path less traveled. It was more narrow, more treacherous, than the main roads. But at least the dangers were those of nature, and not of man. Nobody traveled these roads, so bandits were few and far between.

But Duo couldn't find monotony in the days. It was only a week into their journey, and every turn presented Duo with a new fascinating discovery. Most of his discoveries, though, he had to keep to himself. Close observation revealed so many little tid-bits about his companions. Trowa, for instance, was in some way related to the current ruler of Ellesmera. Quatre was, in some way, tied to the Ellesmeran culture- in some way other than Trowa, that is. Duo wasn't quite sure how or why, but he could tell that Quatre at least mildly resented it.

And Wufei. Now, Wufei was an enigma that Duo just couldn't understand. Had that first little spark of attraction meant nothing at all? Duo'd been sure that Wufei liked him. Or, at least liked his body. There was little one could do to hide such obvious physical reaction. And Duo wouldn't be adverse to... testing the waters. Wufei was brash and quick to loose his temper, but he was often kind and gentle. He had a sparkling wit that matched Duo's own, and was even more surprisingly... more scholar than warrior.

So, Duo spent his time in the bouncing cart contemplating an enigma he wouldn't mind unraveling. Until.

"Stop," Quatre urged, pulling on the reigns and bringing Sandrock and Zero to a halt. "People ahead. Around the bend. A camp."

Trowa silently pulled his cloak's hood up- though even his eyes were quiet human now, and Duo stuffed his recognizable braid down under his own cloak.

"How many? Friend or foe?"

"At least twenty... and I'm not sure. There's at least one fairly strong magic user among them. Perhaps more. It distorts my feelings."

Another thing Duo'd learned. Quatre's empathy. He could usually feel the emotions of the people around him.

"We march on," Trowa said. "If it's foe, it's likely only bandits. They're rarely very talented."

Wufei frowned, but nodded. "I don't like the idea, but there is no way around. Perhaps they'll just let us pass. We'll keep moving through the night, without making camp."

The other's nodded. Camping near strangers was not always a bright idea.

Slowly, Quatre nudged the horses back into movement. Trowa and Wufei rode on either side and slightly ahead. And when they turned the bend... there was nothing there. No camp, nothing but trees, it seemed. Not even a campsite.

"You were saying?" Duo questioned.

"They're here," Quatre whispered. "I feel them. Nothing distinct, but they're here, somewhere."

"Enough of this," Wufei muttered. "SHOW YOURSELVES!"

He growled loudly, grabbing a piece of scrap metal that had fallen off the cart earlier that he'd placed in in his saddle bag. He chucked the scrap with precision into the area where a campsite would be expected. To his surprise, the scrap bounced back in midair, and the air beside the road shimmered, glimmered... and then changed.

In less than five seconds, no less than ten swords were up and another five bows were notched in ready to fire. The camp was settled just to the side of the road in a large clearing. Two good sized wagons, and a string of many horses, all gathered in a semi circle around a large bonfire. And many people who'd been gathered around a fire who were now nearly at their throats.

"State ye' bus'ness, vagabonds," One of the men in front growled. He was aged, wrinkled, but his eyes still held fire and spirit.. and his hand seemed expert on the handle of the hand-and-a-half sword.

"Merely passing by, friend," Quatre smiled. "We mean no harm, just travelers. I was confused as to why I knew there was a clearing here, but none appeared. I thought perhaps we were mistaken. We'll take our leave and travel on, then."

"What be warriors traveling on this road for?" Another asked.

"I could ask you the same question," Wufei snapped. "You lot don't look like fair maidens out to pick wildflowers in the hedges!"

"You spineless..."

Insults were traded. Duo almost smiled. He'd quite missed trading insults with people. There was just something... fulfilling... in making fun of people and beating them at a game they started.

"ENOUGH!" A shrill voice rang out over the clearing. "Back down, you lily-livered wet-behind-the-ears green pups! Can't you tell when you're trading insults with a Dragon?"

The whole lot of travelers fell silent, and moved aside to make way for a petite young woman. Her hair was a dark chocolate brown, and pulled up in a mass of twisted braids on her head, like a interwoven crown. Eyes dark blue and slanted in some exotic way. Skin fair, but glowing with a healthy tan. Her clothes were a classic traveling gown for nobility. A dark green outer dress over a paler blue under-dress. Both were slit up to the knees to allow for easy riding, walking, and running.

"But Mistress," one of the men said. "They're warriors, bound for Ellesmera! We can't let them pass if they..."

The woman held up a hand, stilling the comment. "Enough. Only a Blessed would be able to tell my shields were here." She smiled at the group, and Wufei swung down from the saddle.

"Well met, Master Chang Wufei of the Long clan," she said, holding out her hands. Wufei took them in his own, and gave a slight bow.

"Well met, Mistress Na-Taia Saraine," he replied, and then let the woman laugh and pull him into a hug.

"It's been much too long, Wufei," she said. "Are you and your group heading for the city?"

He nodded, and she laughed again. "Then you'll travel with us, no? Perhaps you can teach this lot a bit of manners and technique along the way." She smiled, and looked over the horses and the cart. "Healer Quatre, Lowan Trowa. I should have known!"

"Sara," Quatre chuckled. "What brings you all the way to Sanq? On the road to Ellesmera no less?"

"Business as usual, Quat," came another voice, sparkling and crystal clear. Another woman appeared beside the first. Exactly the same, only her hair was pulled into two braids left handing down past her waist, and her clothes were a mirror copy of her sisters- light on the outside, but dark underneath.

"Noraine," Quatre nodded. "Good to see you both."

"Indeed," the one called Noraine said. "I trust you beat some sense into that brother of ours?"

Quatre frowned, but shook his head. "Nothing short of an earthquake could change his stance on matters. And he'd be able to stop the earthquake before it happened.. so it's useless."

Noraine sighed. "He always was a block-head, no? But none-the-less, you must dine with us tonight, and travel with us. Safety in number, correct?"

Duo tried to place the accent, but couldn't. He figured they were probably from the Isles, though. If their slanted eyes were anything to go by. But apparently they were friends with Trowa and the others. Or at least sisters of a friend. Which was good, he supposed.

Except the mention of said brother caused Wufei to wince. Imperceptible if one wasn't looking for it, but something flashed through Wufei's eyes, and a frown flitted briefly, quickly, across his lips.

Food for thought, Duo mused. Another piece to the puzzle that was Chang Wufei... but where the piece fit- now that was the question.

#

"Orphans?"

Quatre looked at the group of children asleep already in pallets lined along the largest of the caravan's wagons.

"Yes," Saraine nodded sadly. "All from Sanq. It's a terrible place. The orphanages are full to bursting because of the petty fighting. Children are being sold as slaves. We're working with the Trinity for now. We take some of the worst off of the children, take them to the Southern Plains. They can learn a trade there, go out and earn a job like normal people. Some will probably stay on in Ellesmera, though. There's two of them showing magick abilities, but nothing strong yet. A four year old, and a eight year old."

"Too young," Noraine said. "We didn't show abilities till we were eight, and didn't come into full power until we were twelve. Neither three of us. It's getting worse, Quatre. Each generation, the onset is earlier. And there's more. So many more. Two in fifteen from one village?" She shook her head. "Ages past, there was never more than a single person in any three villages in Sanq that showed ability, and mostly it was hardly noticeable."

"The world is falling apart," Saraine whispered, letting the flap of the wagon fall back.

Quatre shook his head. "It seems that way, Sara. It truly seems that way."

"Enough with the depressing stuff. Come, Quat," Noraine said, putting on a bright smile. "We have gifts for you, Trowa, and Wufei! To thank you each for your help last spring."

"You don't need to give us things," Quatre insisted as the twins pulled him towards another cart, simultaniously waving to Wufei and Trowa as well.

"We help you because we love you," Quat said.

"You help us because it's simply your nature," Sara retorted. "And anyways, it's not very much."

"What do they have in their little minds now?" Wufei mused aloud as he and Trowa walked up.

"They're trying to give us things for the whole bandit thing last year," Quatre sighed.

"We don't need anything," Trowa said, trying to keep up with the fast pace the twins set.

"But we **want** to," Nora replied. "Now shut up about it. I'm sure you'll like our ideas. If not a thank you, then consider it out midsummer's gift, okay?"

"Nor..."

"Aah! Shh."

Quatre and the others fell silent under the glare from the two women, and merely stood there as they began to rummage in the cart for a certain set of bags- their own.

"Aha!" Nora said, and moments later they re-emerged from inside the wagon.

"Trowa," Nora said, handing over a quiver of arrows.

He raised an eyebrow, lifting out a single arrow. It was... plain. Dull, ordinary. There were some twenty or so arrows in the small quiver, but they were all ordinary.

"Thank you, but I do have plenty of arrows," he replied.

Sara smirked. "But how many of your arrows are magick?" She tapped the quiver. "I managed to put some of my magick on them. Believe it or not, they can go through brick without breaking and hit the target on the other side. Be careful though, it'll only go through one thing before it re-solidifies and hits something. But I trust you- you're an expert archer and I figured you'd enjoy playing with these."

Trowa's eyes widened. "I will have to try these out tomorrow. Thank you, Sara, Nora. I do like these."

"He's got a new toy now, he'll stay fascinated for hours," Quatre chuckled.

"That's why we got you this," Nora smiled. She held up a small clay jar in her hand. Quatre, curious, took the jar, and opened the lid, sniffing the odd lime green paste inside.

"Is this..."

Nora nodded. "Paste from the Riealian Orchid. Thought it might interest you."

"This stuff is impossible to find on the mainland! Healers rarely let it leave Rieal."

Sara smiled softly. "Not impossible if your a Daughter of Mystra. It pays to have connections, you know."

"Thank you," Quatre beamed. "This is amazing!"

"And for Wufei, our dearest Wufei," Sara giggled, pulling a sheathed dagger out of the pack. "Brother mentioned your old hunting knife was getting rather dull. This we also got from back home."

Wufei slide the blade from the sheath. The handle was rather plain and ordinary, simple black leather wrapped, but the blade... it gleamed beautifully, with a series of symbols etched up from the hilt.

"Genuine Riealian blue steel?" He asked, admiring the wavy blue lines in the steel, a trademark of the unique forging methods used by many of the island's iron smiths.

"Of course. Nothing less for you, Wufei." For a moment, the smile left the girl's eyes and she looked sad, pensive. "He doesn't mention you, y'know? But he thinks, and he can't hide what he thinks. Not from us."

Wufei's eyes hardened as he snapped the black back in it's sheath. "Thank you for the gift, but I have no words to say about your brother."

Nora's smile was sad. "You don't have to say anything. We can tell. He's not as cruel or heartless as you think, Wufei. He hurts, he feels, he loves... the same as us all. He just has a more difficult path to follow."

"I don't care," Wufei growled. "He used me, and hard path or not, I don't forgive or forget so easy. Good night, Saraine. Good night, Noraine. And please.. don't mention Heero Yuy to me again."

Quatre watched sadly as his friend stormed off. "What Heero did was pretty heartless, ladies," he said softly.

They only nodded. "He's not the best when it comes to figuring out his own emotions. But I think he will...one day."

#

"Rico! Head count, please. We'd like to replace the barriers, so we need to make sure everyone is within the boundaries of the camp. They won't be able to get back in if they aren't."

"Aye, Mistress." The grizzled warrior nodded, and began to count over his men, and move among the others.

"Barriers?" Duo asked, looking at Sara from his seat near the fire. "Like the one we encountered before? What kind of magic is that?"

Sara smiled sweetly at him, and he was momentarily struck that these two women were almost eerily beautiful. "That's the magic of a Daughter of Mystra."

"Mystra? Who's that?"

Sara stared blankly at him, her mouth hanging open. "You... You don't know Mystra? Mystra, Arzanth... mother and father of the great Gods and Goddesses?"

Duo blinked.

"Duo's a country bumpkin," Wufei explained, arriving with Nora. "He lived in Maxwell Monastery."

"Ah," Nora said, coming closer. "That was a shame, what happened. Father Maxwell- for someone without any powers- was a strong advocate for us."

"So is someone going to explain all of this to me? And for your information, I am NOT a country bumpkin. After the Monastery, I lived in Corlat."

Wufei chuckled. "So... you were a street-rat country bumpkin. Nothing in Corlat but farmers who couldn't make it farming. Not the most educated city, you know? Nothing to be ashamed of, though."

Duo glared at him, and Sara could almost feel the energy, the anger crackling within the brunette boy. The same energy that was springing to life in Wufei. But there was a difference. Wufei had years of experience and practice weighing down on his powers... Duo did not.

"I am not a street-rat, either, you mangy excuse for a warrior. Where'd you come from? A palace with gilded halls and marble floors?"

"Why you..." Wufei took a step forward. "Stupid, ignorant, arrogant CHILD."

"I'll give you ignorant!" Duo yelled, and Nora saw what was about to happen, but couldn't stop it. The wooden log Rico had been sitting on moments before lifted straight into the air, and she knew it would crush Wufei, if it hit with enough force. Sara screamed, and turned her head away, into Nora's shoulder. Neither one wanted to watch what they couldn't stop.

"STOP."

Duo'd felt the power surging within him, the anger fueling his magick. At the moment, all he'd wanted to do was crush the twit. Slam the log into him, break his ribs, crush his lungs. Destroy him.

But with one word, he was paralyzed. He couldn't twitch a muscle, nor even move his eyes, nor blink. He... couldn't breath. He tried, but no matter how he tried to force, his lungs couldn't expand, he throat wouldn't work... nothing. His heart beat, but slow, sluggish.

In that instant, his concentration shattered, and the log fell back to the ground with a sick thud.

Quatre walked into his view. His blond hair glimmered in the fire-light, and his eyes almost glowed with a type of power that Duo'd never seen before. He radiated strength. Macick simply rolled off him in waves.

He'd been right, Duo thought as his brain began to fog, to darken at the edges. He could feel his heartbeat want to slow. More... and more.

"Breath," Quatre commanded, and Duo's lungs almost exploded with the force of air being sucked in. Duo gasped, drinking in great gulps of air. Who was this man? Had he been right? Quatre was no simple healer...

"Duo... you must realize that when any one of us call you 'child', it is not aimed to be derogatory. You must understand that though we are but a few years older than you, we have spent our entire **lives** learning about and honing our abilities. Answer me this, Duo... have you ever had training on how to use your magick? On control, on limits? On simple etiquette or on the history of magick? Do you know the reasons why Trowa, Wufei fight? Why the people of the resistance fight?"

Duo shook his head, a weak 'no' coming out. He hadn't. He'd never learned anything about that. Father Maxwell had taken them in, cared for them. Taught them basic skills, reading, writing, simple math. Taught them a few guidelines about the magick community, but that was it.

Quatre nodded, as if expecting as much. "If I release the binds on you... can you keep hold of yourself, keep your anger in check?"

Duo nodded weakly, and then slumped when moments later, the rigidness in his body was released. He let himself fall to his knees, bracing himself from falling further with his hands on the ground.

"When we get to Ellesmera, I'll have Catherine assay your ability, and then Sally will teach you all you need to know in order to be a productive member of the Resistance, if you so choose."

"We can teach him, Quatre," Nora said.

"You are both skilled, Nora. But you've never had to teach a grown man about his own abilities. I should have know this would happen sooner or later. Girls, he has little control. He would be a danger to you to teach."

Sara lifted a hand. "We don't mean his ability. We can leave that to people with more experience than us. But we can certainly teach him basic history. The meaning behind the war, teach him political etiquette. Surely you don't propose we simply waste the time we have until Ellesmera with letting him just sit around?"

"Perhaps," Nora added softly, "That knowing what we are all about, where we come from will help calm his temper."

Sara's voice was not as soft as her sister's. "Perhaps you don't give him enough credit, Quatre," she said, walking over and squatting beside Duo, a hand on his shoulder. "For someone with no training, and such a strong gift within him, he's done remarkably well, I'd say."

Duo gave her a weak smile of thanks, and received a soft one in return.

Sara's fingers tightened in a gesture of comfort.

"I'll take on teaching him." She raised eyes to Quatre. "Or will you argue with the Daughters of Mystra?"

Quatre frowned, but waved a hand. "Very well."

#

Treize observed the man in front of him. So far, nothing offered had appeased the sorcerer. Not money, not land, not the promise of a score of female slaves. Nothing. But he needed the assistance of this man.

Duke Dermail was critical to his plans.

But of course... he had a point in his favor. Perhaps it was finally time to reveal it.

He'd gotten the man to follow him to the cells under the castle, where one prisoner waited.

"What do you want, Treize?" The man growled, impatient.

"I think this should quite entice you to see things in my favor," Treize smirked, and motioned for Dermail to look into the stone cell. Sitting there, on the floor, chained by both wrists and both ankles, a woman sat. Dark red hair, streaked with white, cascaded in a tangled mess around thin shoulders, falling to pile upon the dirty floor. Her face was hid behind the curtain of burnished red.

"I already told you, I don't care for pathetic girls," Dermail snarled. "I can easily find any number of much more... suitable... women to satisfy any need I have."

"Tsk, tsk," Treize shook his head. "I'd never subject this lady to your brutal desires, my lord. Take a closer look at her."

Dermail frowned, but took another step closer, inspecting the woman. Aha... barely visible through the tangled curls, dusty gold furred ears peeked out on top of her head. Her fingernails were sharpened into claws, and the hint of a tail curled around her legs where she sat.

"Ah... Lowan. Interesting. Certainly makes me rethink my estimate of her... and you. But I could easily capture a Lowan on my own."

"Still not looking close enough, Dermail," Treize tutted.

Dermail glared at the king before perusing the woman again. The woman lifted her head, cold, dark green eyes spearing him with near deadly vehemence. "Dermail of the Southern Plains," she growled, her voice raw with misuse.

Dermail barked out a laugh, happy and surprised.

"Treize... hand this one over to me, and you've got yourself a deal."

"Done," the king said quickly, smirking.

Dermail smiled, predatory and evil as he glared at the chained woman.

"Lyonesse Bloom," he purred. "It's so good to see you... alive."


	12. Lessons Learned

AN: Sorry for the delay, and sorry for the sort of boring first half of this chapter. Trust me... it doesn't stay quite so boring the whole chapter! Next one shouldn't take as long of a wait! Please, review if you read! Reviews make my day!

Trial By Fire

"Lessons Learned"

...

"Don't let Quatre get to you," Sara whispered comfortingly, holding a cup of water out for him as the others began to pack up for the morning. "He was just so foul because he had to use his magic like that. He doesn't like it, so if he has to do anything other than healing, he can get in a pretty cranky mood."

"He's right," Duo replied softly. "I **am** a danger. To others and myself. I've never even considered it like that until I met up with them, with you. Your power's so controlled. I've... I've never seen anything like that."

"You're only a threat if you think you are," Sara insisted. "You're just not trained is all. Me and Nora... we'll help you, if you let us. The more you learn about the hows and whys of magic, the easier it will be for you to control. It takes years of practice and control to learn how to wield different aspects of the same gift. Take me and Nora for example. Our gift has always been that of concealing ourselves. Hiding in shadow. As we got older, as we practiced, we extended that ability into not only concealing from sight, but sound and touch as well. And from not only us, but to shielding entire camps. Together, we can hid a small village completely from sight, sound, touch, and smell. It's still the same gift, it's just grown. We're even learning how to manipulate the magick so that things pass through or around our barriers without ever knowing there was a barrier there.

"Some water wielders can only manipulate existing water... but some can actually **create** water out of the air around them, pull the moisture from the air, from the ground, from everywhere. It's all a matter of training and skill."

"Neither of which I have..." Duo muttered.

Sara smiled, and took his elbow to lift him up to his feet. "You have one, it's all a matter of teaching you the other. And like I said... I'll help." She placed a hand on his cheek. "You are brave and intelligent. I can see that... and so can everyone else, if they look hard enough. And you're gentle. One of the gentlest souls I've seen, outside of my brother."

Duo smiled, just a little, but it was a smile. He placed a hand over hers, holding it in place for but a moment before letting go. "You're a sweet woman, Sara."

She laughed. "There are may people who would disagree with you, Duo... but thank you."

...

By lunch time, Duo could see why people would disagree. He sat at the head of the caravan's larger wagon, trapped between Sara and Nora. And they had NOT shut up. Whenever one stopped to take a breath, the other started in. This resulted in a near constant stream of information flowing into him.

They'd started him at the base of all magical knowledge... knowing the patron gods and goddesses of the different countries, and knowing what each deity held sacred and how that deity was integrated into the country.

They touched briefly on Iandros and Sanq after they found his grasp of Sanq's God adequate. They only wanted to make sure he knew that those who were dedicated to Iandros knew that despite a general 'looking down' upon magick, there had never been any religious decree that condoned the burning of magick wielders. That had entirely been a product of Treize Kushrenada's reign.

They'd moved on to Vashti, the brilliant and wise goddess who watched over Ki-Lin. A proud but gentle goddess of fire and strength, of re-birth and cleansing. They'd mentioned that the people of Ki-Lin tried to emulate their deity. They were open and accepting, knowledgeable and fierce. Duo couldn't help but look at the quiet Wufei astride Nataku. Yes, he could see all of those traits in the warrior. The strength, the ferocity. The gentleness, the arrogance.

From there, they'd happily chattered about Alhennia, the Goddess of the Wild. Revered only in Ellesmera, she was one of the lesser known of the deities. Trowa, Duo came to learn, held this goddess in high esteem, having been raised to revere her. This would be the goddess worshiped where they were going; the goddess of the Ellesmeran Queen.

Sara had been enthusiastic when she'd delved into detailing the Trinity of the Southern Plains. This had always confused Duo. The Southern Trinity was Syraena, Tylane, and Nayali, the three sisters. In simplicity, they represented the good, the bad, and the in-between. The past, the present, and the future. Black, White, and Gray. He'd always had trouble remembering which represented which, but more so... it was the priestesses that confused him. Three women marked at birth, called the reincarnations of the sisters. Duo'd always found it hard to discern when someone was talking about the goddesses or the priestesses, as both were often simply called 'The Southern Trinity'.

Sara and Nora themselves were Daughters of Mystra. Mystra, they explained, was the Mother of the gods, and heralded as the mother of magick. She was the goddess of life, of creation. Of birth. She was associated with the colors blue and purple, and midnight and sunrise. Arzanth was the father of the gods, and Mystra's exact opposite. He was the god of death, of winter and destruction. Associated with the colors black and gold, and high noon and sunset, Arzanth was feared, while Mystra coveted. Arzanth was not a cruel god by any means. He was kind and compassionate, fatherly. But the connotations of death and dying created a fear around him.

Worship of Mystra and Arzanth was, however, mostly limited to the outlying lands and islands- the few places left that held all deities in equal regard.

It wasn't until the group stopped for the evening that he got his first lesson in actual magick wielding. And it wasn't even truly his lesson, but purely by accident.

She was crying, he'd noticed. She was sad, on the verge of tears, over a plant.

"What's wrong, mei-mei?" And Wufei had been the first to see, the first to go over, to question, and Duo simply watched. Oh, how much could be learned simply by watching others.

The girl, her dish-water blond curls bouncing, looked up at him and pointed out the small plant in front of her.

"I found clover," she said, her small voice breaking. "And clover is yummy to eat, Mama said. Only... it's not a good season for clover, and there's only this puny little one. I tried... I tried to make it grow, but I couldn't."

"Ah, Miss Sara mentioned something about a young girl who could make the plants grow. I assume she was talking of you?"

The girl nodded pathetically, looking so downtrodden for all of her ten years. "Mama said I had the magicks. And sometimes, I can make things grow really good. Only... I can't make this clover grow. I just don't know how," she wailed, looking on the verge of tears again.

"Hmm... I think we can make this grow," Wufei smiled. "I think **you** can make enough clover for everyone for supper. Here, place your hands just like this," He knelt behind where she sat, and took and placed her hands on the ground around the base of the small, shriveled looking plant. "Close your eyes, and I need you to think. I need you to think of how pretty this plant would look, all grown and flowering and ripe to use. Picture more of them. A whole little patch of them. You've gotta see that picture in your mind. Can you?"

The girl nodded shakily as Duo looked on, curious.

"And now, I want you to picture magick. Just think of it like little sparkles. Little sparkly drops of water trickling down your hands, into the ground, feeding the clover. Making it grow, making it bloom, making it look like what you can see in your mind. Do you see it? Do you see it growing?"

The girl nodded again, and Duo... Duo did too. Because **he** saw it growing. The plant between the girl's hands grew, bloomed. From one small shriveled plant to a whole patch of thriving clover, completely out of season.

Duo looked, in awe, from the plant to Wufei. The strong hands cupping over the girl's. The glint of a silver band twinkled around his left wrist, almost hidden by his clothing. His hair was loose, falling around his chiseled face, which looked happy, and somewhat... serene.

Was it fair than any man should look so... so... beautiful? Duo blinked, and turned away. Thoughts like that were best left unthought, he told himself, and contented himself with searching out Sara and Nora.

...

Hilde sat down on the stone steps of the cottage to take a breather. They'd only been here a few days so far, but it was almost dream-like. Like this peace could be shattered at any moment. They were in a small village over a day and a night's ride from the castle. There was little chance that Kushrenada could find them here.

Here, nobody knew who Tarien was. All they knew was she was Hilde's friend. And any friend of Hilde or Howard was a friend of the village. Hilde knew her way around just about any job- as did her father Howard. And Howard's wife Cecilia was the town's healer. The town didn't care that Cecilia might have used magic to amplify her medicines. The down didn't care that Hilde could see things in the mirror.

To Sweepers Village, Cecilia and Hilde were both gods-sends. As was Tarien. Known only as Rien to the villagers, Tarien was sweet and kind and a wonder with the animals, especially the horses.

Which in and of itself was odd, Hilde thought, looking out to where Tarien- petite, delicate Tarien- was helping Howard plow the field, leading around the most ornery of Howard's three horses. Hilde'd known for almost as long as she'd know Tarien that the former princess liked animals of all sorts and enjoyed riding. But the rapport she had with animals was simply amazing; and Hilde hadn't noticed **that** until Tarien had started working in the stables.

Hilde placed her elbows on her knees and supported her face with her hands as she stared after her friend. Perhaps Tarien herself had magic? Hilde could almost laugh at the irony of it. Animal magic wasn't unheard of- in fact, in Ellesmera and other lands it was quite common. But it wasn't common here. And if Treize had ever learned of Tarien's little gift... the girl's life would have been forfeit.

And now, not only was Treize probably plotting her demise, but even the resistance from Ellesmera was out for Tarien's blood. And Hilde wouldn't, couldn't let that happen.

Tarien was different. She was born to nobility, but not afraid of hard work. She was born with riches, but preferred her time spent on the simpler things. She was not vain or selfish. She was Treize's exact opposite. She had tact and decorum befitting her former title, but she had a way of smiling that put anyone at ease. She wasn't perfect. She had her flaws. She was picky about some things. She couldn't cook to save her life. A million little things that to Hilde, didn't come close to negating her good side.

She wished that that man, that Heero, could see that. See the good in Tarien, see that she was different. See that she deserved a chance to live a normal, peaceful life free from Treize's grasp.

Across the distance, Tarien blinked into the sun, seeing Hilde sitting there watching her. She smiled brightly and waved to the other girl, a loose strand of oak-colored hair fluttering in the wind. She looked perfectly natural in men's britches and a loose white shirt and scuffy boots. As natural as she'd looked in those frilly gowns. To Hilde, she was perfection. In every way. To Hilde, she was the sun and the stars, the moon and the sky. She was everything.

Hilde sighed. If only everyone could see Tarien... the way she saw her.

"You know," Cecilia commented, walking out onto the steps, drying her hands on her apron, "Nobody in this town will say anything if'n you and that sweet girl wanted to wed."

Hilde's eyes widened as she glanced up at her mother. "What!"

"You're sweet on her, it shows. And why else would you bring her home to your family if you didn't have some sort of intentions?"

Hilde looked from her mother back to Tarien. "Even if I did... it wouldn't work. She's... a different class than me. Much too good for the likes of me."

"Don't sell yourself short, dear," Cecilia placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Besides... she's not a princess anymore. She's the same as you and I- she's free to choose *who* she wants to spend her time with, to spend her life beside."

"I'm not even going to ask how you knew who she was," Hilde said, narrowing her eyes up at her mother, "But title or not doesn't change who she is. Free or not... it doesn't mean she should settle for a maid."

Cecilia shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder how I raised such an idiot," she muttered. "You come high-tailing it back to town from the captial, dragging a confused young lady behind you. She's obviously scared of something, and she certainly wasn't born into hard labor. And all this on the curtails of news that the King had an altercation with his niece. Your parents aren't spring chickens, Hilde. We've yet to ask questions of you- we trust you- but I hope everything works out for you, and for that sweet girl. I wouldn't mind having another daughter," she smiled. "Now come on, let's go finish supper. I dare say those two will be famished by the time they're through!"

"Do you miss home? Do you miss **him**?"

Cecilia blinked at her daughter. Rarely did the young woman ask such questions. It must be some mood the girl was in to have her bring it up

"Of course, dear. I miss home every single day. And not a day goes by that I don't think of the son I lost when we had to leave. But that does not mean I love you less, Hilde. It was a tragic accident. Not anyone of our faults. If you ever seek to blame someone for it... blame Treize Kushrenada. For it was he who lead the army that conquered our homeland."

Hilde smiled, sadly. "I miss Duane," she said softly. "He was such a bubbly, bright little baby, wasn't he? D'you think he's alright? That he's out there somewhere, safe?" She looked up at the setting sun, wondering if her little brother was still somewhere.

Cecilia gave her daughter a one-armed hug. "Somewhere out there, Hilde, the youngest remaining son of the kingdom of Persephone is alive. Somewhere, Duane Persephone is very happy and vibrant and strong."

Hilde looked once more over her should... and prayed to Mystra that her mother was right.


	13. The City In The Forest

_Trial By Fire_

_13_

"_The City In The Forest"_

….

The next days passed in a blur for Duo. Mostly due to Sara and Nora practically shoving lessons down his throat, forcing him to refine his control of his power, forcing him to keep control over his emotions and how they affected his power. He'd almost taken Nora's head at one point, she'd goaded him so much. If not for her barrier, the pan from the fire **would** have taken her head.

She'd laughed it off, and Sara had gently explained methods to control his anger- which seemed to be the main catalyst for his loss of control. He remembered Sara saying she wasn't a good teacher for magick abilities, but to him, at least, she and Nora seemed to be doing great at it- despite the way Quatre still didn't think they were capable of it.

Duo noticed many times Quatre or Wufei staring at him, glaring at him, but conversation between him and them had been kept to a minimal. For some reason, Duo felt as if he'd lost a dear friend, despite having only known them each a short while. Wufei had saved his life- at risk of his own. Quatre had healed him, taken care of him without thought for payment or reimbursement.

Duo'd never had friends before. And he'd thought he'd found some. Certainly Sara and Nora fit that. But would Wufei and Quatre ever be his friends? For as long as he'd remembered, he'd had no-one. There were vague flashes of memory... a brown haired woman, a soft voice... and that was it. After that, the first clear memories he'd had was of stealing food to survive. Then, the Monastery. Then it'd been back to running, to hiding, to stealing.

And in all that time, there'd only been few kind people, besides at the Monastery. A kind elderly lady in a small village, a few children who didn't know better. A patronly priest at a shrine. A few random, faceless people. And even a noble. That'd been one of the most terrifying time in his life- and without a doubt among the most confusing. A few months before he came to the Monastery, he'd been walking along the road, and almost been ran over by a noble's carriage. He'd stayed on the ground, tossed to the side of the path like trash, bruised and starved. And the carriage stopped. He'd expected the driver or a guard or someone else, big and gruff, to come and complain at him. Arrest him or something. He was only eight, but he knew how mean nobles got when you annoyed them.

Instead, the next thing he knew, there was a young girl, barely even the same age as he, beside him, helping him to his feet, inspecting the cut above his eye. Her voice had been sweet and kind, as if talking with a skittish animal. Which, he suspected, was how he was acting. He'd been confused at the time as she'd pulled a small silk scarf from her pocket and dabbed at his cut. There'd been yelling, calls of "My Lady!" and "Duchess!" A plump elder woman toddled out of the carriage calling for the girl, who yelled right back. She'd flashed him a bright smile, jade green eyes sparkling. She pressed the scarf and a several coins into his hand, then turned.

"I'm coming, Myra!" She called, dancing back tot he carriage, brown curls bobbing.

He'd always wondered who she was, why she'd helped him. Wondered if she'd gotten scolded for stopping to help him. Duo blinked, staring at the fire as an idea came to him, soft as candle-light.

"Sara!"

The young mage looked over as her name was called by Duo.

"Yes?"

"The girl... the one they want to kill, the princess that ain't a princess anymore..."

Sara nodded. "Kushrenada's niece, yes. What about her?"

"Do you know what she looks like?"

Sara shrugged. "I know she's the image of her father- doesn't look much like the others of the Kushrenada family. Brown hair. I think she's probably yay tall now," she held up her hand to someone shorter than her. "And green eyes, I want to say. Though they might be blue, for all I know," she laughed. "I've only seen her the once, and that was from very far away. Why the interest?"

Duo shrugged. "No reason," he said. "Just curious." He now had a name to go with the face, the memory. And he was solidified in his reasoning that the princess wasn't cut from the same cloth as Kushrenada. And we would **not** let Wufei or this Heero or anyone else kill her. He'd protect her.

Quatre walked by, between Duo and the fire. Duo frowned, but kept silent. If Quatre wanted nothing to do with him, he'd have nothing to do with Quatre.

Aqua eyes landed on him for a moment, softened just a bit. "You're doing good with Sara and Nora," the blond said. "Keep it up and they'll make a mage of you yet."

Duo blinked as the healer walked away. Then smiled. Looked like that would be the closest he'd come to getting an apology or a 'good job' from the man. Which was okay.

It only mean he hadn't completely ruined his chances at having the blond as a friend. Well, he amended, as long as he could convince the others of the princess's right to live.

….

The edge of Ellesmera, Duo thought, should have been the plains landscape gradually fading into a forest. Like all other landscapes, with a small border area that was both and yet neither. But this was not the case, Duo noted.

The edge of the forest land of Ellesmera was clear and defined, a neat line of trees on the horizon. A **vast** forest, he noticed. It stretched from left to right in front of him, as far as his eyes could see, and who knew how deep it went?

The caravan slowly came to a stop, the sun sinking to the side.

"This is where you stop for the night," Nora said, standing and dismounting the wagon with her sister.

"'You?'" Duo asked. "But not... you?"

"Me and Nora travel on tonight. Someone must warn the city of your arrival so they can be prepared."

"And our brother is there," Nora nodded. "He probably arrived today, earlier."

Quatre shook his head, staring at the two. "I'll never understand how you can sense him that far away. Even **I** can't sense someone from that distance. Not even Trowa."

Sara smiled at him as she pulled two packs from her wagon, handing one to Nora. "Trowa is not your twin. We can sense Heero faintly from here, because he is our brother. I can feel Nora and her power from even further- though we rarely stray that far," she added with a small laugh. "The four powerful magick-users in this caravan can protect it, should anything happen. But in the shadow of the forest, it is highly unlikely you'd run across danger of any sort."

"Leaving at sunrise, you'll make the forest in two hours. A guide will take you the rest of the way, and you'll make the city by high noon," Nora added. "We'll see you then."

Both women shouldered the packs, but Wufei dismounted and held out Nataku's reigns. "Sara, Nora. I don't like the idea of you out all night alone. Take Nataku. She's strong enough to carry both of you, as long as you don't push her."

"Wufei, we can't," Sara smiled.

"Heero hates me, but you're still as close as family to me," Wufei insisted. "Walking, it'll be morning before you reach the city. At an easy gait, she'll get you there by midnight. Please. I wouldn't offer for anyone else. It's only until tomorrow, and someone will have to guide your wagon."

Nora smiled and took the reigns offered. "Thank you, Wufei Chang of the Long clan," she said with a bow of her head. "We will see you at noon on the morrow," she said, swinging into the saddle and arranging her skirts before holding out a hand to her sister, who swung up behind her.

"Until tomorrow," Wufei said, and watched the two set off.

...

True to Nora's word, at the forest's edge, a large burly man waited on them the next morning

"Rashid!" Quatre called happily as they came close to the man.

"Master Quatre. Mistress Saraine said you were traveling with her party," he smirked. "I had to see for myself."

"You only wanted to see if you won or lost the latest betting pool," Trowa dead-panned.

Rashid let out booming laughter. "Of course not. Well... not **only**. I did have genuine interest. Master Quatre is like family to me! And for the record, Trowa... your sister owes me two dinners and a spool of her best thread!" He winked at Trowa before turning away.

Trowa sighed, but only half-heartedly. "When is she going to learn," he asked no-one in particular. "I'll always go back to him..."

"Hey, Trowa?" Duo questioned.

"Hm?"

"All the people in Ellesmera... they're... they're like you?"

An emerald eye glanced back at him. "You mean do they share my gift?"

Duo nodded, and Trowa shook his head. "Ellesmera is like any other place, we have those born with magick, and we have those born without. We do have more with magick than without. And those who do have magick most of the time have a similar gift to mine, but not all. But then, most Ellesmeran people mate to others from Ellesmera, or other magick wielders. In Ki-lin, they believe that whatever causes our magick is passed from parents to children, like eye color or hair color."

"That's what Father Maxwell called our birth traits, right?"

"They've been called that. No-one knows for sure what they are, or why it happens the way it does, but sometimes we take after our mothers, sometimes our fathers, never minding outside influence."

"Interesting. So... you think that's why more people in Ellesmera have magick?"

"Who knows? It's a theory. The Southern Trinity still holds to the belief that the Gods and Goddesses choose who to bless with powers. In Sanc, the theory is that to have magick, your soul must be corrupt and wicked. Who knows what theory is right? Maybe none of them are." Trowa shrugged as his horse walked alongside the wagon. I don't dwell on science or theology. I dwell simply on the facts I have. I don't care WHY, all I care about is that they do or they don't."

"Hey, Trowa!"

Duo jumped a bit as a little girl suddenly popped out from nowhere it seemed, jogging alongside the horse. Her short cropped mousey brown hair bobbed with her smooth movements and equally brown eyes that sparkled with life and mischief.

"K'mi," Trowa inclined his head to her.

The girl frowned. "Em and M'gan are still out on patrol, y'know? They lost the scent around two days ago. They're scouting around to see if they can pick it up, but the trail ended at a village in Sanc. Em thinks... she's ready to give up. If Lyonesse was..."

"Don't finish that sentence, K'mi," Trowa shut her up with a glare. "Don't you dare say it. She is alive, and there can be no doubting that. Certainly not from M'gan or you."

K'mi ducked her head, cheeks coloring blush-red. "Sorry, Trowa. We'll keep searching, of course. Noin won't let us do anything else. Besides, there's really nothing else we'd rather do. Little hope is better than no hope, right? I owe her my life. The least I can do is look for her!" She gave a small smile, then darted away, disappearing as quickly as she'd appeared.

Duo looked at Trowa. "Who was that? And who is Lyonesse?"

"K'mi. One of the younger scouts. No magick, but she's amazing at stealth and speed," Trowa said absentmindedly.

"And Lyonesse?" Duo prompted, but immediately realized he'd made a mistake when Trowa simply seemed to shut down.

"A Lowan who's been missing for several years. She sacrificed herself during a battle to save a group of youngsters- K'mi and many of her friends included. But her body was never recovered. Someone of her talents would not have died so easily," Trowa gritted out.

"And there's people searching for her?"

Trowa nodded stiffly. "Due to the resistance, there's not as many on the search party. Em, M'gan, and K'mi are still young, but they're all three very talented scouts." He paused for a second. "We're here."

Duo turned, looking forward. For a moment, he didn't see anything but trees. But when he **did** see it, he gasped.

He'd expected some grand big city in the middle of the forest. Tall guarded walls, towers, patrols.

It was certainly big... but there was nothing grand about this city. If it could even be called a city. Houses were built off the ground, as if extensions of the trees. Many even looked camouflaged. Rope ladders, rope bridges, planks of wood, simple ropes made a crisscrossed areal walk-way above their heads. Duo could see the plumbing of the city, and see the people. Navigating their way through the trees, going about trivial tasks common to all cities and homes.

"What is this place..." Duo breathed.

"Welcome to Ellesmera," Trowa said. "The city in the Forest," he added with a smirk.

True, Duo'd always heard that title. City in the Forest. City of the Forest. Fort of the Trees. He'd just never thought quite how literal the title would be. A city suspended above ground, in the trees of the forest.

A group of boys and girls, little more than children, ran up to them. "Trowa!" One of them shouted. Followed by cries of "QUATRE! Wufei!"

"Trowa!" K'mi darted around other youngsters and stopped by Trowa's horse. She held out a hand and took hold of the horses reigns. "The Queen bids us take the horses. You're all to go straight to her, at the Glade."

Trowa nodded and dismounted, even as Wufei and Quatre both handed over control of their wagons to other children. Trowa jerked his head to Duo. "You, too, Duo. Every potential member of the Resistance has to meet Noin. Besides, we need to see about getting you a bit of training in with Sally. Chances are she'll be by Noin's side today, with all the commotion that's probably going on."

Duo nodded and handed his own wagon to the control of two pre-teens before following as Trowa and the other two started out, knowing exactly where they were going. Duo just followed along silently two steps behind them, trying not to look around in wonder. He still couldn't get over the city. They walked down paths that wound around tree trunks, past what could have been homes or shops. A few huts on the ground, but not overly many.

And then... they were beyond that. Trowa pushed through a bit of vinery, and they were not in the city any longer it seemed. The trees gave way to a perfect circle of meadow-grass and wildflower. A man-made canopy of thin-seeming verdant silk shaded the area lightly, and several people milled about- doing what Duo couldn't even fathom.

And then, something caught his eye. A trio of people who seemed out of place among the people dressed in browns and moss greens and other forest-wear.

Duo's eyes nearly popped out of his sockets when he saw who two of the three were. Sara and Nora were identical, but different- as usual. Sara's robes were light and breezy, dark blue with an intricate purple pattern around the hems, and Nora's was the same, with the colors mirrored. Both had their hair free and flowing, with small silver circlets on their brows. And beside them was another. Dark chocolate hair, chilling midnight blue eyes. You could see from his face he was related to them, and his robes were dark black with gold trim. His eyes were cold and distant, and it occurred to Duo this must be their brother. Heero, wasn't that his name? The one Wufei didn't seem to like very much.

Then his blood ran cold. The one who'd wanted to kill the princess.


	14. Variables

Trial By Fire

…

Variables

...

Duo quickly took a deep breath, trying to control the flood of anger that coursed through him. Sara and Nora had been teaching him control. He couldn't very well loose said control... and certainly not on their brother, at that.

"Quatre! Wufei! Trowa!"

Duo looked over as someone called his companions from some distance away from the trio of sorcerers. A woman, at least a decade older than him, with a short fall of bluish-black hair waved to them. "It's so great to have you all here, but I wish it could have been under better circumstances. Heero tells me that Kushrenada's niece has disappeared- seemingly off of the face of the planet. And with a magick-using body-guard at that! Our plan to take out all three at once is out of the question now. It'll have to be individual assassination, if we can pull it off. Failing that... it's all out war."

Duo stepped forward, a retort on his lips about his feelings on the matter, but Quatre held up a hand to her. "Did you say she had a magick-using body-guard? What mage would protect a Kushrenada?"

"We don't know. They have a fairly strong talent for reflection, and she was able, according to Heero, use her powers even in the very reflections of her eyes. Such talent hasn't been seen in a scryer since, well, since the fall of Persephone and the loss of Grandam Edara. The fact that any magick user is protecting a Kushrenada is enough to worry about, much less a talented one with an **offensive** talent for scrying. It's hard enough fighting normals, but to have to fight our own kind?"

"Has **anyone** stopped to think about this?" Duo demanded. "Has anyone considered that there has to be a **reason** a mage is protecting her? What if you are all wrong? Has this girl, this princess, ever done anything? Has she ordered the deaths of innocent people? Waged wars and destroyed countries? Taxed her own people into poverty? **WHY** does she need to die? And don't give me the whole 'because Kushrenada's are evil' spiel. I've heard it, and I think it's a load of horse shit. Because if you really believe that, then you're no better than Treize Kushrenada himself. Arrogant, self-righteous hypocrites!"

Trowa and Wufei looked at him in something akin to mild amusement. Quatre looked slightly peeved, and people all around them were staring in shock. The woman he'd ranted at blinked at him in confusion for a few moments.

"He's right," a man said, walking up beside the woman and putting a hand on her shoulder. He was a match for her in height, perhaps even taller, and he had a waterfall of pure white-silver hair, the bangs obscuring two bright ice-blue eyes. "Have you considered perhaps she's not been as affected by her familiarity with Treize as you think?"

The woman turned confused blue eyes to him. "That's a variable. A risk that can't help but be taken. We can't be sure that..."

"If you truly wanted her out of the way, surely there's some nice, out-of-the-way place where you can place her, keep an eye on her while she lives a free, normal life," Duo said, drawing her attention back to him. "There's always a way. There's never a risk that can't help but be taken. I'm telling you. She's nothing like the others. That girl has a kind soul, and I think she'd adapt just fine to a normal, regular life."

"If she resists, then we can always fall back on one of the old plans," the man reassured, rubbing the woman's shoulder. "But the boy does have some merit to what he says." He looked at Quatre. "Wherever did you find such an outspoken youngling anyway?"

Quatre held up his hands in annoyance, then glared at Wufei. "He's not my charge. I did nothing but heal his wounds. Wufei's the one who likes to drag home every stray kitten he sees."

Wufei sent a sickeningly sweet smile to the blond. "But dear-heart," he simpered, "You're the one who **let** me keep him."

Duo growled. "HEY! I'm right here, you know? So stop talking as if I'm some animal or that I'm not here." Looking at the couple in front of him, he nodded his head. "Duo of the Maxwell Monastery," he said.

The man smiled at him. "My name's Milliardo of the PeaceCraft family. This is Lucrezia, clan Noin." He jerked his head at the woman with a chuckle. "And she just happens to be the Queen of this forest."

Duo's stomach plummeted even as his eyes widened and his mouth gaped open.

"Q-queen? Oh... I...I-i-i..."

The woman laughed lightly. "Don't worry about that, young one. The others can tell you I've never been much for formality." She turned to Milliardo. "I want him to be the one to talk to the Kushrenada girl."

"He's a mage," Quatre warned. "An un-trained one. Sara and Nora have been teaching him control, and basic history. Perhaps some training with Sally wouldn't go astray before you send him on any ambassador-missions, Ma'am."

"Quatre," the tall woman smiled at him. "It's been too long since we've been graced with your presence. I sometimes forget how... detail-oriented... you can be."

The healer nodded his head to the Queen of Ellesmera. He held no allegiance to her country; he would not bow to her.

But... several among her subjects did to him. Some of the people around them, knelt to the ground when she mentioned his name.

"Stand up, silly girls," he sighed. He hated this. Anywhere he went where there were a gathering of magick-weilders... invariably someone would bow. Clan Raberba had been one of the strongest in Ellesmera, before their only daughter had married an outside lord. And though none of the Raberba lineage were alive, save him, several Ellesmerans still held that clan in high regard. Before Katrina's abdication, of sorts, Clan Raberba had been the ruling family, instead of the Noins. Just as Peacecrafts had once been rulers in Sanq, long ago.

"What will it take to convince your subjects that I have no wish to be involved with Ellesmeran affairs?" Quatre asked the dark haired woman. She just smiled. She knew that if Quatre tried to take control of Ellesmera, he stood a good chance at winning, simply for his namesake. Luckily for her, though, Quatre held no fancy to rule Ellesmera. He'd loved his mother, and he held affection for her homeland, but he had no desire to rule it. As long as he was not ignored or cast out... they would have a mutually beneficial relationship.

Lucrezia of Noin shrugged. "Humor them, child. You give them hope; Hope that Ellesmera will not fail, no matter the onslaught. Just yesterday, a party of our women and children were attacked by OZ. We managed to take one alive, though..." she smirked. "Never underestimate an Ellesmeran child." She chuckled. "Or two certain Ki-Lin twins in the attack."

Quatre nodded. Ellesmera was a family of cats; OZ were naught but wolves and dogs. Under Quatre's grandfather's rule, and now under that of the Noins, Ellesmera had grown larger than ever before. Cats were by nature solitary creatures. They formed small family groups, but seldom gathered in larger groups. Except in the forest of Ellesmera. In Ellesmera, they gathered by the hundreds. And that wasn't counting members of the resistance that resided there, the hundreds of magick weilding people. What had seemed like a moderate sized town that they'd walked through earlier was just one of many, many towns that made up the actual country.

"Training Duo is easy," Sara said, appearing from almost nowhere beside them. Duo jumped a bit, never having seen or heard her and her siblings come towards them. "He's eager and willing to learn, and he's actually very bright. We've covered most basic history, and basic control- which seemed to be his biggest fault. Sally should be able to have him up to speed in a matter of days."

Noin nodded. "Sara, I'll leave you and Nora in charge of him while you're here. When you leave, he'll answer to Wufei." She turned to Duo and Wufei. "No offense, Duo, but Wufei... he's your stray."

Wufei's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything.

"Now that that's settled, Wufei, Quatre. Come with me, I'd like to discuss a few matters with you. Trowa, I think your sister's looking for you. Sara, take your charge and find Sally. She's at the infirmary still."

With that, she practically dragged Wufei and Quatre behind her, abandoning Duo with the siblings.

Sara smiled at him. "It's all a bit much to take in, I know. Ellesmera is... like a different world. People here are different, politics are different. It'll take you a bit, but you'll get used to the pace of things around here quick enough."

"Miss Nora! Miss Sara!"

Duo looked as two children ran into their party, tugging at the priestesses' robes.

"K'mi said he's here! He's here now," one of them exclaimed.

"Where is he? He's here, right?"

"Yue, Yang," Heero said. Duo blinked at his voice. Not quite what he was expecting. "He's speaking with the Queen at the moment. Why don't we go get his things from the caravan, hm?"

"Okay," the two chorused, but not as cheerful as before.

"Heero," Nora said warningly.

"Easy," he replied. "I won't touch anything." He waved at the children. "I'll let them do it."

"I'm coming," Nora said, ignoring him, and taking one child's hand as Heero took the other.

From looks alone, Duo knew the children were siblings. A boy, hair short and pulled into a tiny top-knot, and a girl, her hair long and in two low pig-tails. Their clothes even looked similarly made- both clean, fine but not overly fancy. Clearly the children of someone who prided in well-made, but simple things.

And something about them looked hauntingly familiar. The black hair, the black eyes. But Duo couldn't quite place it. So he shrugged it off.

Sara frowned after them. "I guess it's like with Wufei and me and Nora. He won't hate us because we're related to Heero," she said softly. "Just like Heero won't hate them. Their hate is reserved solely for each other. It's... sad."

"Am I right in thinking they had a... thing... once?"

Sara nodded. "They were lovers, once upon a time. It's not any secret."

"What happened... if I may ask?" He wondered if it'd bring up bad memories for his friend.

"This and that," she said, leading him from the clearing. She easily navigated the winding paths. "Even I'm not completely sure. Not sure I even want to, really. They are, simply, two very different people. Their beliefs, their ways of thinking, their likes and dislikes. But... I don't think that was ever really their problem. Wufei is not completely blameless in their falling apart, but... even I will admit it was probably mostly my brother." She shook her head. "I still don't know why Heero broke it off. He cited so many things, but I never believed any of them. Said he didn't love Wufei. Said he was just using him. I can't be angry with him. He's my brother... and eventually, we just stopped talking about it. Wufei hates Heero for what he did, and Heero... Heero seems to loath Wufei. That's just the way it's been."

"So, Wufei was in love with him." Duo whispered, thinking of the chocolate-haired man with cold blue eyes. Somehow, a part of him couldn't picture Wufei as being 'in love' with anyone. And another part of him wanted to argue that Wufei would make a quite nice lover.

"We believe so. I wouldn't doubt a part of him still does. Probably the first- the only- person since Meiran died, so long ago."

"Meiran?" Duo looked at her. It was a new name, and he was curious. He wanted to know as much about his new-found friends as he could. That way he knew what subjects to avoid, and he knew how to help them- if they ever needed it.

Sara nodded. "He doesn't talk about it much, but he was deeply in love with his wife."

"Wife?" Duo nearly choked on the word. Sara stopped and looked at him as if he were crazy.

"You didn't know?" She questioned. "But... he still wears his... oh... oh..." she trailed off. "We didn't touch on Ki-Lin customs, did we," she asked sheepishly. "The warriors of Ki-Lin always wear a cuff on their left wrist, a bracelet that has their wife's clan's emblem on it." Duo remembered, once or twice, seeing a silver bracelet on Wufei's wrist, hidden under his shirt-sleeves. "He is Wufei Chang of the Long clan. Meiran Long died several years ago," Sara said sadly. "He still wears the cuff in memory of her. She was killed at the hands of Duke Dermail, the one we told you about when we mentioned people abusing their powers. He twisted her own mind around until she took her own life; she was but a pawn to him. Less than a pawn, merely an bug in his way." Sara's voice twisted. "More than even Treize Kushrenada, it is Dermail whom holds the title of the worst villain we can remember. Yang and Yue are the epitome of what Dermail has done to the world."

"The twins, right? The ones that just left?" Duo blinked. "Why them?"

Sara looked at him again. "You poor thing. You truly know nothing of your companions, do you? The twins, a fire mage and a wind mage... are Yang and Yue Long, the children of Wufei Chang and Meiran Long."

"You've gotta be kidding me..." Duo said, shocked, but was silenced when the twins ran from the closest path, Nora on their heels.

"Papa," they both called. Duo turned and looked to see Wufei, Quatre, Noin and Milliardo walking from what looked to be a hollow in a tree some fifty meters behind them.

Duo could only watch as Wufei turned towards them, and knelt down until they ran into his arms. He couldn't hear what was said, but Duo could easily picture them telling Wufei proudly about some accomplishment or about some event or other. The way he smiled left Duo thinking of that little girl in the orphan convoy. Perhaps it wasn't just some hidden part, like Duo thought. He was a father, so he knew how to deal with children.

He was a father to two seven year-old mages. He was a widower, his wife having taken her own life due to an evil mage. He was a fierce warrior, fighting, wielding his power naturally. He was a good friend, getting along with such different people as Sara and Nora, Trowa, and Quatre. Despite a facade of hate and anger, he was possibly still in love with his last lover, who'd admitted to using him. He was a brilliant tactician, a thoughtful scholar, a romantic. A complete enigma, still, constantly growing harder to understand the more Duo learned.

And in the end... it only left Duo yearning to learn more.

…

To Be Continued...


	15. A Rose By Any Other Name

_Disclaimer: I don't own GW, but the OC's are mine!_

_Dedication: My little violet eyed demon!_

Trial By Fire

Chapter 15

'A Rose By Any Other Name...'

_**(Two weeks later...)**_

"Tag! You're it!"

Duo sat on a porch-like platform in the trees watching the three children below him run around in circles. It hadn't taken long for Yue and Yang- Wufei's children- to befriend the children from the caravan. Especially the talented little girl Wufei'd help to grow the clover back on the road. It was two weeks since his arrival in Ellesmera.

True to the older twins' words, he quickly acclimated himself to the different pace of life. Days filled with training with Sally- who'd turned out to be a motherly young woman with a sharp wit, sharp tongue and even sharper sense of humor. Nights filled with learning as much as he could about... well... anything. His friends, the history of the city. The history of just about anything. Sara and Nora had given him a good grasp of the basics; the weeks in Ellesmera, he spent learning the details- concentrating on Sanq, Ellesmera, and Ki-Lin. He'd glanced a little over the islands, and even learned a bit about the fallen nation of Persephone- which was almost forgotten.

Nestled in a valley somewhere on the border between the Southern Plains and Sanq, it had fallen to it's Northern foe more than a decade ago. But Persephone had been a small nation, and peaceful. It's fall hadn't much changed the land, or the time. Most of it's few inhabitants died in the raid, including all of the royal family.

Duo didn't find the whole story overly interesting. The only thing of interest, to him, was the tale of Grandam Edara, the grand duchess and the mother of the king. The tale told of her efforts to save her family and her grand-children. A powerful scryer, fable had it she could use a raindrop, or even a shiny new leaf to cast her powers. The tale told of how she braved the burning castle to try to save her family. Edara had been found, dead from her burns, but the family had all perished, their bodies completely consumed by the inferno.

It was a tale that Duo could relate to. Sacrificing everything... for hope. For a chance. Edara's chance hadn't worked out, but Duo knew all about that. He'd watched Father Maxwell give his life trying to defend his home, the people he'd considered his family- Duo included.

He had a small book laying beside him as he watched the children play; what little was known to the outside world of the secretive islands that Sara and Nora hailed from. Sally had loaned it to him at the suggestion of Nora. He'd been sitting out here reading in the early evening when he'd gotten distracted- enchanted by the care-free happiness the children exuded.

"A History to the Isles?" a voice questioned, breaking Duo's bubble of contentment. "Curious about my people?"

Duo looked up, and right into the cold blue eyes of the Earth mage, Heero.

"Seemed like something to know. Nora recommended it."

"Most of it is speculation," the other replied with a jerk of a shoulder. "Although they did get some facts right. Anything you really want to know, it'd be best to ask about."

"Is that an invitation to pick your brain?" Duo asked, looking away and back to the children.

"No. Just a suggestion. Sara's the talkative one."

"You seem to hold your own in conversation. But don't worry. I won't bother you with my curiosity. Besides... the questions I'd have would probably be too personal."

"Personal. Rielians in general are very strict about personal space, and personal questions. But the Sons and Daughters aren't general Rielians. What kind of personal question would you ask?"

"Why anyone with half a brain would use, then forget, someone as kind as Wufei," Duo answered without even thinking. When he realized what had left his lips, he closed them, and stared hard at the children. Well. The guy had asked.

"Personal indeed," Heero replied, but with no trace of anger or malice in his voice. If anything, his voice was a bit softer, more contemplative. "A question which really has no answer. You are very... unique. Not everyone would call Wufei 'kind'. Very few do."

Duo shrugged. "He is kind. It's easy to see if you look for it. I'm sure there's probably the same kindness in you, if anyone cared to look."

"I doubt that," Heero sighed. "There are reasons why I had to leave Wufei."

"And what are they?"

"Very personal," Heero muttered, then heaved another sigh as he let himself drop to sit beside Duo. He folded his arms over the railing, letting his legs dangle, mirroring Duo's own stance. "There are things he should be kept apart from. Things about me he didn't need to be involved in. So I did the only thing I could."

"You made him hate you in order to save him from something he didn't know about- didn't need to know about? That's a very... **wrong** way to go about things."

"It worked out for the best. I care for him. Deeply. And that's why I had to protect him. People in my order rarely take anything more than careless flings. It gives us a certain reputation... but it's better than the consequences of committed relationships."

Duo looked up at him, at the twilight reflecting in his eyes. It sounded like only part of a much larger explanation- a very small part. But Duo didn't ask for more. People called him a child, they called him a joker. But Duo knew when not to pry.

"That's messed up," he said instead. "That's wrong. I don't see how loving and being loved could be a bad thing."

"Do you realize how many queens and mistresses die, because of their closeness to those in power? People close to people in certain positions are in danger."

"Did you never consider Wufei can protect himself? He's not a dainty lily-maid."

Heero chuckled at the imagery that brought, but shook his head. "Not all danger comes in the forms he can protect himself from. Trust me on this. I can't make him happy. Not without danger to his life, which I cannot, will not condone. Make him happy for me, please? I think you could be good for him."

Duo blinked. "Say again?"

Heero's smile was sad and wistful as he stood up. "Don't tell Wufei, alright? It'd only hurt him more, which I don't wish to do. And I'd like to see him happy, so take care of him."

And then, he was gone. Duo sat, staring at where the Earth mage had been. Make him happy? Duo sighed, leaning his forehead against the railing in front of him. He **did** care for Wufei. A lot. But... so did Heero. Duo blinked. Would he be able, willing, to do that? To let Wufei go if it was for Wufei's own good? If he had Wufei as his own... could he give him up?

Heero more than 'cared' for him, Duo decided. Heero loved him. Very, very much.

Duo looked up once more, back to the still frolicking children. It was impossible for him to still hate Heero. Someone that selfless couldn't be bad at all. Someone who loved that deeply shouldn't be sad and lonely- and Duo had definitely seen loneliness in those deep, deep blue eyes. Duo sighed. So now his heart only left him one option.

Somehow he had to get Heero and Wufei back together. He smiled at Yue and Yang. If only for the sake of those sweet children- who obviously adored Heero. Yes... there had to be a way to get them to both see reason.

...

Wufei couldn't quite name the emotion churning in his stomach. He leaned against the door of his humble house. It had once belonged to the Raberba clan, but had sat vacant since Elise and Markel- Quatre's maternal grandparents- passed away some very many years ago. The home- one of the huge, hollowed out trees that were common in Ellesmera- had reverted to Quatre's ownership once they'd found out about him, but Quatre had never had a use for a true house in Ellesmera. For what little time he was ever there, he always stayed with Trowa.

And then, three years ago he'd given the home to Wufei when Wufei had finally left Ki-Lin and moved to Ellesmera to support the Resistance. He hated that his job took him away from his children for such long periods, but his concious wouldn't let him do anything else. How could he remain here safe with his children but knowing that other children were suffering? How could he teach his children magick and family values when children were being murdered for magick in Sanq? And more than that... it's what Meilan would want him to do. It's what she **had** wanted him to do.

Besides... the children didn't mind staying with Sally, and Sally didn't mind the company.

"Yue, Yang, Clover... It's time for supper," he called to the three children playing in the clearing in front of the house. Above them, across the clearing, he could make out Duo's form sitting on the landing of Sally's library. He'd seen Heero come out, sit and talk with Duo for a few minutes before leaving once again. And Wufei didn't quite know how he felt. He refused to admit it to anyone but himself- and only rarely at that- but a part of him still loved Heero. A part of him hated the mage, and a part of him loved him. Such contradiction. And Wufei'd hoped that maybe, just maybe Duo'd be interested in **him**. He knew it was wrong to lust for the innocent newcomer, but there was still a part of him that did.

But then... the way Duo looked up at Heero before he walked away. There was something in that glance. Wufei sighed. It was hopeless. Which one had more appeal to a drifting former street-rat? The rogue warrior, strong and proud. Or the single, struggling father of two?

Three, he amended his thoughts as his twins- both so much like their mother- ran inside laughing with Clover. He wasn't quite sure when or how it had happened, but over the last two weeks, it had just become natural that Clover would be there with his own children. It was only a day or two after arriving that Wufei had just happened to observe his children interacting with the shy, quiet orphan girl that had came from Sanq with Nora and Sara. The girl with the gift for making plants grow- starting with that clover. Sally had expressed concern for the girl's reclusive nature, commenting on the child's lack of a real name. Sally herself had tried offering up names for the girl to choose from.

Names from every and all kingdoms; but none the girl liked.

Wufei supervised the children washing their hands and taking their seats and then dished out supper, all the while recalling exactly how Clover had chosen her name.

_**Flashback**_

_ "Crying's not going to help," Duo told her sweetly, plopping down on the ground next to her. "Care to tell me what's got you so down?"_

_ From his spot walking by on the other side of the tree, Wufei could clearly hear the girl's sniffles._

_ "Miss Sally says I don't have a name," she snuffled. "All the other kids can r'member what their Mama's and Papa's called them... but... they sent me to the orphanage and then nobody liked me 'cause I have the magicks. I... I can't remember what Mama called me."_

_ Wufei couldn't see, but he imagined Duo wrapping an arm around her shoulders in comfort as she started to sob some more._

_ "Didn't they call you anything in your village?"_

_ "Witch and demon and other words that Aunt Midge said were **bad** words. Aunt Midge called me Sweetie. But that's not a name."_

_ "Then why don't you pick your own name? That's what I did."_

_ Wufei couldn't help it. He shifted enough so that he could peer around the tree. Sure enough Duo had an arm around the ten-year old. And she was looking up at him with wide eyes._

_ "Really?"_

_ Duo nodded. "I ended up in an orphanage, too. But they were all nice people. I guess they might have been like your Aunt Midge. Really nice and they never treated me different because I could do magick."_

_ "What happened to them? How'd you pick your name? Wasn't it hard?"_

_ Duo smiled sadly. "The bad people came and made it so that the orphanage couldn't help anyone else, and they sent me away to live on my own. And it was really easy to choose my name. My bestest friend at that orphanage was Solo. So he called me Duo. Because he was first, and I came second. And I chose my last name- Maxwell- after the man who ran that orphanage. So at first I had no name, and then I was Duo. And then I became Duo Maxwell. My name has meaning. It's about who I was, and who I'll strive to be. I'm sure if you thought about it, there's someone you look up to. Someone who made you think about who you are, and what you're doing. There's lots of names that describe who you are, that have meaning for you."_

_ The girl smiled up at Duo with wide gray eyes. "Can I borrow **your** last name? Please. You're nicer than a lot of grown-ups. You remind me of Aunt Midge."_

_ From his vantage point, Wufei saw Duo get teary eyed and hug the little girl tighter. _

_ "Of course you can, sweet-heart. I don't mind and I know Father Maxwell wouldn't mind. And what about your first name? Is it gonna be Helen or Midge? Naomi or Lilia? Kari or Tsarina?"_

_ The girl giggled, pulling away just a little bit. "No, silly. It's gotta be something that means something to me, right? Well, then... My name is Clover."_

_ For a moment, Duo and Wufei could both only blink, until it dawned on each of them. On the way here, the clover... Wufei's impromptu magick lesson. Duo smiled brightly, and itt was Wufei's turn to use his fingers to dash at his eyes. Must be dust or something, he thought to himself. _

_ Duo stood up, pulling the little girl with him._

_ "Well, let's go tell everyone your new name... Miss Clover Maxwell."_

_**End Flashback**_

TBC...


	16. The Calm Before The Storm

AN: Sorry for the wait, but here is chapter 16. Just a note to avoid confusion, there's been another time skip. This is set two weeks after the previous chapter.

Trial By Fire

Chapter 16

'The Calm Before The Storm'

...

**_Two Weeks Later..._**

Trowa sighed. He wasn't quite sure how he'd ended up here, like this. Quatre was off talking with Noin about something or other. Wufei was busy with the children. Heero was off with Sara and Nora doing Riealian things, he figured. Duo was off brooding somewhere over the Solstice festival, a few days past. Even the children were off somewhere, doing child things.

And for once... he had nothing to do, and was thus subjected to his sister's mercy and trying to defend his honor as an archer over at the training courts. He fought back the feeling that this languid time of planning, of down-time, was only a calm before the storm. His gut instincts told him that despite how lazy it seemed to be lately... danger was still looming.

"You're on, little brother," Catherine smirked. "But... I'm not going to be the one you face off against!" She chortled merrily. "You've not met Sally's latest conquest!"

Trowa blinked, realizing the mess he'd gotten himself in with his arguing. Walking right into a trap laid by his devious red-headed sister. She'd never been aiming to to insult him- only to test his skills against someone else!

Only a second later, K'mi bounced into the practice ring, another girl behind her. From looks alone, Trowa could tell the new girl wasn't Ellesmeran. Or if she was, only in part- like Noin, who's grandfather was from the lost kingdom of Persephone. The new girl, who looked to be around Duo's age- not surprising, Sally had never been one for dating her own age- had glossy dark-brown hair and glowing chocolate eyes. Her hair seemed long, but was held back in a low pony-tail and wrapped completely by red ribbon, ending with a small bow on her lower back. Her clothes were plain and serviceable blouse and breeches, the same as many Ellesmeran women.

"Mistress Catherine. K'mi said you needed my help?"

And that cinched it. Her voice clearly rang with the lilt of Circe. Circe was, in all technicality, part of the Riealian chain of islands. But it wouldn't do to tell anyone of either island nation that. Rieal was all low hills, plains, and beaches. Circe was nothing but mountains, with a few safe harbors. So close, yet so geologically different. And culturally different, too. Where Rieal held fast to ancient doctrines and were a very up-tight people, Circe was vastly different. They kept strict morals and were a very 'family' based people, but they didn't impose half as many of the silly and contrite rituals that Rieal did. For this reason, the actual Temple of Mystra- the training grounds of both the priestesses of Mystra and the priests of Arzanth- was located on it's southern bluff and not even on Rieal, as many thought.

"You'll help me win a bet with my brother, right?"

"'Pends on what you'd be having me do," the girl replied sensibly.

"Just do what you do best," Cathy beamed, holding out a bow.

"I think some introductions are in order, first, sister, dearest." Trowa turned to the girl. "I'm Trowa. Cathy said you were Sally's lover?"

The girl looked him up, then down. "That I be," she nodded. "Mera Hunter," she added as an afterthought. Trowa's eyebrow rose just a fraction. A hunter from Circe was bound to be skilled with a bow. He should have competition on his hands, if she was worth her salt as a hunter.

"What's the bet?" She questioned him.

"Hmm. Well, I usually play Cathy for chores or menial things like that."

"Looser has to help Sally with the evening's tutoring session," Mera smiled. "That seems punishment enough, in and of itself."

"And I'll toss in a flask of Strawberry Cordial to the winner," Cathy added. "Just to liven it up a bit."

Both contestants nodded their approval of the terms, and Cathy looked to K'mi. "Wanna set up the dolls?"

K'mi laughed, and never answered. She was already gone to the other side of the ring.

"Damn, she's fast," Cathy chuckled to herself as she watched K'mi take down the easy targets of hay and plaster-wood and use the pulley to string up the vaguely human-esque shaped dummy that the warriors used for accuracy training.

"Ready!" K'mi sing-songed as she bounced back to them.

"The goal?" Mera inquired as she put down the bow Cathy'd handed her. She already knew no-matter the bet she'd not use the simple hunting bow. Depending on her goal, she'd probably opt for either the shorter 'riding' bow or the Circean long-bow that she was best with.

"Hmm... Well, we'll keep it fun, but not too easy. How about two arrows each? Both have to be kill-shots. The one with the best accuracy wins. And to eliminate favor, K'mi will judge. You have to call the shot first."

Each again nodded acceptance. "Elders first," Mera nodded to Trowa, who picked up his own bow- somewhere between the short and long bows, and notched his arrow, drawing it back expertly.

"First shot left eye, second shot heart," he called, and took each shot.

Mera nodded her approval. "Nice form."

"I'll go check!" K'mi called, and started to dart up.

"No," Mera said. "Leave them," she ordered, dipping the tips of two arrows- specially made for the long bow- into a blue chalk, so that the blue would mark her own shots. She walked over and removed a long-bow, looping her string on one end. She braced that end against her foot, then pulled the bow into an arc, securing the other loop as Trowa blinked at her strength- bending any bow was no easy feet, but he *knew* how hard it was to bend the long-bow. She lifted the bow, and took her mark. She notched a first arrow carefully.

"First shot left eye, second shot heart," she called, making Trowa shake his head. There was no way she'd be able to match his shots. He knew he had as close to center as possible on both targets.

Mera loosed one shot, then notched her second and let fly, too.

"I hope you like children," Mera commented. "K'mi, you may check now."

"Okay," the hyper kid chirped and took off, with the three adults coming much slower behind her.

K'mi stared at the target, eyes wide and mouth open.

"By Alhennia's bow, I don't believe what I see," she stammered.

Trowa, curious, looked the target over for the four arrows... but was surprised to see only two. Mera's two, to be exact, as determined by the blue chalk around the entry, and the longer length. Trowa inspected the ground, noting with a wry smile the shattered remnants of his own arrows scattered about. She'd not severed each arrow completely in twain, but had forcefully shattered the hardened wood.

"I concede," Trowa nodded. "You did exactly as you said, and with more accuracy than I. However... would you agree to up the ante? A rematch? A target, straight behind this one, one shot only. Whoever can accurately 'kill' that target wins?"

"Same bow?" Mera asked. Trowa nodded.

"That'll be fine," Trowa smirked. "I'm not great with children, anyway."

"That's asuming you'll win," Mera stated. "K'mi? Care to set up the second target?"

"Already on it, Mer-mer!" K'mi sing-songed, indeed already setting up the target. Mera shook her head. Speed had yet to be classified as a magickal talent... but if it ever was, K'mi would be the first to be recognized! Even among the already un-naturally fast Lowan from Ellesmera, K'mi seemed to be the fastest.

"Age before beauty," Mera bowed as they reached back to their starting point.

Trowa smirked. "Fine by me," he said and readied his bow again. This time, the arrow he pulled was not from the dulled practice set, but a sharpened one from his own quiver. "Straight through the head," Trowa called, and loosed his arrow. "K'mi... the honors please?"

K'mi inspected the first target across the way. "Missed completely? Trowa, that's unusual for you. Not a new scratch on it..."

"The second target, K'mi..." Trowa prodded. The girl skipped to the target she'd set up some two or three feet behind the first.

She sputtered at the sight of the arrow, clearly protruding from the target's head, the tip even protruding from the back of the head. "Instant kill," she proclaimed, then went back to searching the first target.

"There won't be a mark on the first target," Trowa explained.

"But you **had** to hit the first in order to hit the second," Catherine exclaimed.

"I never touched the first target," Trowa smirked. "A nifty new trick Sara and Nora taught me. Magicked arrows. They'll go through **one** target before hitting whatever's directly behind it."

"Impressive," Mera said. "But now watch someone do it **without** cheating. K'mi, away." Without further warning, she raised her bow, an arrow already in place, and pulled back with twice the force she'd used previously. The string twanged dangerously as she loosed it, the arrow flying straight and true. K'mi darted back as soon as she heard a 'thunk' of the arrow stopping.

A neat little hole in the middle of the forehead of the first target. Another neat little hole maybe a centimeter off in the second. And an arrow two inches burried into a tree some ten feet further out.

"Amazing," K'mi muttered. "Both kill shots. Heh, if the tree were a target, it'd be dead, too."

"A useful skill," Mera nodded, inspecting Trowa's 'kill' shot. "However... I killed both targets, and you only killed one. I believe I win by default. Especially seeing as I used no magick."

"She has a point," Catherine pointed out.

"The rules never said no magick," Trowa argued. "Or that the first target had to be killed."

Mera nodded. "This is true."

Trowa let out a bark of laughter, surprising everyone. "Let's call it a draw, friend." He held out a hand. "We'll both help with the children, then we'll share the cordial."

Mera observed the Ellesmeran for a moment, then nodded and took the hand. "Deal. I think we should head out then. We should probably wash up before we try and deal with the children, though."

K'mi watched as the two new friends walked away, talking 'shop' as Sally called it. "Those two are amazing shots. I wish **I** were that good."

"You're young yet," Catherine comforted. "Besides... you could outrun both of them put together."

The young dark haired girl smiled. "You're right, Catherine. Although I would hate to have to face either of them on a battlefield."

Catherine laughed, then with lightning quick reflexes, pulled a knife from her belt, twirled, and threw it at the target.

K'mi's face paled when she saw the knife thunk deep into the first target's 'mouth'.

"They're not the only one's either," she muttered, then let out an eep of laughter and dashed away, Catherine's laughter following her.

...

Tucked away in a corner of the city of Ellesmera, there was a small, quiet little glade with a pretty spring-fed pool of water. Duo had discovered the glad just a week after arriving, and since then had taken to coming there to read or have quiet time.

The spring wasn't unknown to the population, quite the opposite in fact. But it was an unstated but understood rule that people came there to 'get away', and as such, even when more than one person was in the little glade, it was always quiet and without any sound but burbling water and chirping birds.

At the moment, the orphan from Maxwell Monastery was sitting quietly on the pool's edge, eyes shaded and simply staring at the water. Other's were in the glade, but not many. Sally, the teacher, was sitting off by a tree, getting some reading time in before she went to teach her evening classes. She gave him peace and quiet, and he returned the favor.

He was reflecting; letting his mind wander back over the past several weeks. It was still hard for him to grasp that it wasn't that long ago he'd been a homeless, wandering thief about to be burned at the stake upon the sole charge that he had magick flowing through his veins. And now, here he was. He had friends- each and every one of them as special and unique as he himself was- and even, dare he think, family. During the Solstice festival, three days before, Sara had petitioned the Queen. Everyone in Ellesmera, in the Resistance, had a family clan. Even the orphans still had their clan, their tribe- their family that they belonged to, even if it was through adoption. Sara, Nora, and their brother Heero- along with other Islanders or those from Ki-Lin held their own clan still, but any person from Sanq or any other kingdom always was adopted into another family affiliated with the Resistance. It was a way for the Resistance, and Ellesmera itself, to stay strong and united. There was less chance of someone betraying a brother or sister than there was of someone betraying a mere acquaintance, after all.

Sara had asked Noin that Duo become her and Nora's own sibling. That hadn't gone so well. Oh, Noin had understood Sara and Nora's wish, and hadn't had anything against it. It was more political than anything, he guessed, thinking over the reason Noin had denied the request.

Because, in all technicality, Sara and Nora were no longer affiliated with their own family, and instead were Daughters of Mystra. And Duo could not be adopted to an order without going through the same training, tests, and trials that they themselves had. And even then, Duo thought, he would have had to become a Son of Arzanth, like Heero.

That, though, hadn't been the most surprising event of the night, even. After listening to Noin over-rule Sara's petition, Quatre- of all people in Ellesmera that night- had asked Noin to instead allow the Raberba tribe to adopt him!

That had shocked Noin even more than Sara's determination to adopt him.

After all... Quatre **was** the only member left of the Raberba tribe! Certainly there were distant relatives in the other tribes- such as Rashid from the Kurama family, but Quatre was the last true Raberba. And here he wanted to adopt someone into his tribe?

It had surprised Duo, too. Oh, Duo knew Quatre didn't hate him anymore. Now that Duo could at least control his abilities, Quatre actually seemed to rather like him. They were, in some ways, more alike than either wanted to admit. Duo supposed that if it hadn't been for Trowa, he might feel some sort of attraction for Quatre. But there was no way Duo could see past the blinding love those two exuded. Even in still, calm moments... those two's love was bright.

Duo sighed as he looked through the ever-clear water, gazing at the smooth rocks at the bottom of the pool, the gently rippling plants, the scattering tiny fishes and tadpoles, the roiling water frothing up, the arms shooting out...

Wait... what!

Duo fell backward away from the little pool, scrambling away even as a young girl stumbled up and out of the water, from nowhere it seemed. Her soaked hair seemed to be a light brown, her clothes seemed to be plain and serviceable brown. And everything was soaked.

"What..."

Duo's eyes widened as the girl tripped, nearly landing on top of him.

"M'gan!" Sally called, having seen everything.

The girl's bright brown eyes glanced up to Sally, and Duo saw that not all of the water on her face had come from the pool.

She was crying.

"Sally! It's Em! They're... they've got Em! They're gonna **kill** her!"

...

_AN: Don't worry. The Solstice festival will come up again more than likely. And Trowa's right... the action will soon be picking up quickly!_


	17. Thunderclouds, part 1

**Trial By Fire**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Thunderclouds, Part One**

...

"M'gan!" Sally called, already on her feet and rushing towards the pair, book forgotten.

Duo stared dumbfounded up at the girl, who's clothes were dripping water and soaking him, as well. Some of the drops were running pale pink as various little cuts and scratches bled. Her hair, once probably in a neat little side-braid, was a mess of soaked tangles.

The girl ignored Duo in favor of turning her wide hazel eyes to Sally. Duo noticed then that not all the drops on her face were just water; some were tears.

"Sally! It's Em! They're... They've got Em! They're going to **kill** her!"

"M'gan," Sally said, helping the girl to her feet. "M'gan, calm down, child. Tell me, what's happened?"

"Oh, Sally! It was horrible! We were in a village about a day out of the capital, and there were rumors about a scryer nearby, and we were looking for her. It was just a simple mistake. Word reached the wrong person of who we were looking for, and then, the next thing we knew, there were royal guards everywhere. Em tried to hide us, but they over-took us. Em pushed me out of the way of a sword and told me to get away. I did the only thing I could do, I jumped into the water trough. The last I saw they were all holding her down and tying her." The girl burst into tears again. "And I just left her," she cried. "I ran away."

"Shhh," Duo comforted, embracing her. "Sounds like you took the best option left. You're not use to her if you're dead or captured along with her. Coming for help was good. Now, how long ago did this happen, and which village?"

M'gan blinked. "But... it happened just now. And it was some little farming village near Mother's River, just east of Mountain Arel."

"The heart of Sanc? And... and you're already here?" Duo blinked, looking up at Sally.

"M'gan has a special gift," Sally explained. "I'll teach you more later. But now... we have to get her to Noin and Quatre!"

"Right," the young mage nodded. He took and scooped the girl off her feet, amazed at how light the little thing was. "Come on, we'll get you help, then see about getting your friend."

They were only half-way to the heart of the city, where the Queen would be, when they encountered Trowa and Sally's lover.

"Sally," the girl, barely older than Duo himself, exclaimed, seeing her lover's frantic face.

"Mera. Trowa!" Sally said. "Go on ahead and find Noin! M'gan's encountered trouble! We need emergency planning, and we need Quatre's healing, too!"

"On it," Trowa nodded, breaking out in a run.

Mera looked from the limp girl in Duo's arms, to her lover, to Trowa's disappearing back.

"There's danger in the air, Sally," she stated calmly as she kept pace with the quickly walking Duo. "Something's afoot. Something more than just us against Sanq. Something... bigger."

Sally nodded. "I hate to say it... but you're probably right."

...

It didn't take long for M'gan to tell Noin everything she'd already told Duo and Sally, only with a few added details. Including location, number of enemies. And all relevant info since K'mi's departure of the group.

Quatre was mending cuts and bruises and a cracked rib while Noin turned to the group gathered around her. At some point during M'gan's short story, Wufei, Heero, Sara, Nora, and K'mi had arrived.

"We have to save her!" K'mi begged of her queen. "Em's like my sister! We have to..."  
"I'm thinking, K'mi," Noin chided. "Hush. I will send out a party. I only have to know who to send," she sighed.

"I'm going," M'gan said firmly, turning away from Quatre. "Em doesn't have that much time to wait on a party to reach her by foot. Besides myself, I can take three others back into Sanq."

"You're not well enough to be taking yourself, much less pushing limits you'd be testing even in good condition," Quatre snapped.

"I'm not a child any longer," she snipped back. "I know my limits." She turned back to Noin. "I know I won't be much use once we're there, and it'd be a one-way deal, at least until I regained my strength. But I can get three people there now. And three now is better than a whole party a week from now. Please, ma'am. Time is of the essence.

Noin nodded. "Very well, M'gan. I trust your own judgment of your limits." She looked around at the group. I need three skilled magick-users," Noin said. "Preferably three who can blend in if needs be. Heero, that means you. If you're willing."

Heero inclined his head.

"We can go," His sisters piped in.

Noin shook her head. "No. Sally needs assistance with all the children you brought in. And soon, they'll have to be conveyed to the Southern Plains. I need you two here."

"I can go with him," Duo said, standing up. "I know the lay of the land pretty well in Sanq. Especially the larger villages and cities on the Mother River."

Noin frowned, but looked to Heero. "Your call," she noted.

Heero nodded. "His power might prove useful. And it'll be a good chance to test him."

"Very well. Now who..."

"I'm going."

Duo and everyone else in the group looked at Wufei as if he'd grown two heads.

Wufei growled. "Yes, I know what I'm saying. I'd prefer to keep an eye on the kid. I'd hate for him to end up in a situation like he was when I found him."

Duo glared and stuck out his tongue, but didn't comment.

Noin nodded. "Very well. You three get your packs and meet at the Reflecting Pool in fifteen minutes."

They nodded and each took off in different directions.

Sara and Nora turned away. "We'll get M'gan a pack and some dry clothes," they chirped in unison.

Noin turned to Quatre. "How well can you heal her in the next fifteen minutes?"

Quatre frowned. "Not into perfect health," he replied. "I'm finished with the rib and the worst of the cuts. I can gloss over most of the bruising- it's superficial- but there's a contusion or two I'd like to look at."

"Just get rid of anything that visible and anything life threatening," M'gan grunted. "I can handle a few cuts and bruises, but it wouldn't be good to have people asking questions."

"There's nothing life threatening," Quatre commented. "But I'll finish with the worst of things, and I'll try to shore up your energy reserves."

"I don't..."

"You need it," Quatre said firmly. "Don't fight me on this. It's my friend's lives you're taking in your hands here. I'm going to do anything I can to help the four of you make it to the other side."

….

"You're leaving."

It wasn't a question, but an observation. Wufei looked up from the pack he was closing to the three small figures in the doorway.

"Em is in trouble. You know Em."

Onyx eyes glared accusingly even as a bottom lip stuck out defiantly in a pout The little wing mage was adorable, but clearly not happy. "But you just got home."

"Weeks ago, love. I know it doesn't seem like long enough, but I have to go. Someone's in trouble, and I have to help them."

"It's not fair."

"Yue..." Wufei sighed, throwing his pack onto his shoulders and coming to kneel in front of his silently pouting son and his righteously upset daughter.

He wrapped his arms around both twins in a hug, making sure to tug Clover into the fold as well. "I won't stay gone long, I promise. But I do have to go. I know it's not fair, but one day soon it'll all be over and I won't have to leave any more."

Yue sniffled, and Wufei wiped away the single tear that had fallen. He kissed each child on the fore-head before standing up. "Go to Sally's. And behave for her. I'll be back soon. I love... all three of you," he smiled down at them. His children. His **three** children.

Turning, his heart breaking in his chest, he left once more, all the while thinking back.

'Meiran,' he thought. 'Who would have thought I'd ever be a father. And now, here I am. One three times over. I wish you were here to see them all.'

Up ahead, he saw Duo standing side by side with Heero. Both were watching him walk forwards, unreadable expressions on their faces.

It was time to step off a cliff again. Just like he had a few nights ago, during the Solstice Festival.

_**~Flashback~**_

_ "Granted," Noin nodded. "I see no reason at all why that wouldn't be acceptable." And then she smiled sweetly and so... motherly... at him and the three children all holding fast to his tunic. Then, she smiled solely at the one girl who looked so different from the other two children._

_ "By the powers granted me by my birthright as Queen of the city of Ellesmera and it's surrounding forest, I am more than happy to recognize you formally as Clover Maxwell, daughter of Chang Wufei of the Long clan of Ki-Lin." Noin chuckled at the happy and joyous look that overtook Clover's face, and then the happy ones of Yue and Yang as they hugged their new sister. Noin glanced to Sally, waiting off to the side with Mera. "Sally, do you- as matriarch of the Po tribe that has adopted Wufei as their own when he first came to Ellesmera so many years ago, recognize Clover Maxwell as Chang Wufei's third heir, and extend to her the same adoption and protection you extend to his other heirs?"_

_ Sally smiled, squeezing Mera's hand. "The Po tribe is more than happy to recognize her as his daughter... and as our own as well." She stepped forward and bent down to hug the little girl. "No matter how far you may travel, little one, remember that you will always have people to call family, and a place to call home."_

_ For a moment, Clover simply cried, clinging tightly to Sally even as her new siblings clung tightly to her. Then... abruptly... she laughed through her tears._

_ "What's so funny, Clover?" Wufei wondered._

_ She looked back at him and let go of Sally to fling herself at him. "I went from having no family at all... to having three whole different families!" She giggled._

_ Wufei looked at her oddly. _

_ "I have Daddy, Yue and Yang. And I have Miss Sally's family. And I have Duo!"_

_ Wufei tilted his head, but conceded. To a young child, it would seem that way. It would be hard to explain that she had no true or binding relationship with Sally's family. That form of 'adoption' was merely Sally and the Po tribe 'vouching' for them. And neither did she have any form of relationship with Duo, beyond having borrowed his own borrowed name._

_ But he would let her find that out in her own time. For now... for tonight... he would let her bask in her happiness and joy and let her fall asleep content in knowing that she would never, ever be alone again._

_**To Be Continued...**  
_


	18. Thunderclouds, part 2

**Trial By Fire **

**Chapter 18**

**Thunderstorm, part 2**

**Flashback**

Duo pretended not to see the little tear that Nora wiped away from her eye as Clover laughed and hugged Wufei. Let the lady maintain some dignity. Sara didn't bother trying to stop herself from cooing in awe at the sight.

Noin smiled and proceeded down the line of adoptions and fostering and other legal matters that needed recognized, until Sara bounced up to her, and as Duo looked on in shock, Sara politely requested that, since Duo himself still needed to be 'vouched for' by a family, that Sara and Nora be that family.

Duo hadn't missed Wufei's shocked expression, or Heero's one of complete bafflement. Noin had frowned for one second before explaining that she appreciated and understood Sara's wish, but that they couldn't adopt Duo into their tribe, because they did not **have** a tribe. Because they were Daughters of Mystra, and as such claimed the Daughter's as their tribe- something that Duo couldn't do unless he underwent the trials at the temple on Circe.

Sara had started to protest half-heartedly, but Noin had interrupted her.

"I'm sorry, but it cannot be done."

A silence had fallen over the glad- surprising for the amount of people who'd tried to stuff themselves there, standing together, sitting in trees, sitting on every available surface.

Suddenly, a hand rested on Duo's shoulder. "Then the Raberba family vouches for him," a clear voice rang. Duo looked over his shoulder into calm, cool aquamarine eyes. "Moreover, if he so wishes, I request that he be completely adopted into the Raberba family, with all titles and privileges that come with being a Raberba."

Duo blinked in surprise, and even Noin's mouth dropped open.

"Quatre..." she began, but when Quatre raised a single eyebrow, she paused, reconsidering her words and where she was. She could not afford to alienate Quatre. Not when he held enough sway over enough people to start a rebellion and overthrow her, if he so chose. She closed her mouth and sighed. "Very well," she admitted. "It is done. Duo Maxwell, from this day forward, the forest of Ellesmera will recognize you as a member of the Raberba tribe."

Quatre nodded slightly, then turned and left without another word. Trowa quickly followed after him before anyone else could even blink. Duo stood there, shocked and surprised, as Noin went over the last few requests as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Duo looked to the side to see Sally and Wufei and even the three Riealian siblings looking just as dumbfounded.

Duo stepped as close to Wufei as possible. "I get the feeling that that wasn't normal..." he whispered.

"It wasn't," Wufei admitted readily. Sara slide in closer. "I don't think I explained the intricacies of Ellesmeran society that well," she said. "The Raberba tribe was, a generation or so ago, the ruling family of Ellesmera. It was always a small tribe, but when Quatre's mother left the forest, and his grandparents had no other children... the line ended. Until Trowa accidentally discovered Quatre and Quatre's sister. His sister didn't want anything to do with magic or Ellesmera beyond what healing Quatre could do. So Quatre inherited his mother's birth-right... the legacy of the Raberba tribe."

"In simple terms," Sally interupted, "Quatre's a prince and **could** be king if he ever wanted. He just adopted you into his family... which makes you, by default, a prince of Ellesmera."

**End Flashback**

**.**

Duo shook his thoughts from his head as he, Heero, and Wufei silently arrived at the small little glade. M'gan stood there in her still slightly wet dress, but she held a clean, new looking pack over her shoulder and her hair had been brushed and re-braided. She looked, Duo decided, much better. Quatre, however, looked slightly fatigued. As if he hadn't sleep in a few days. Sometimes, Duo thought, Magick confused him. How could anything make one person take on another's weakness like that? Quatre had healed M'gan at the cost of his own well-being and energy. And he looked perfectly happy at having done so.

"M'gan. I trust you to rest once you're there," Sally was saying. "Let the men handle the task of rescuing Em. You get them there, they can do the rest."

The young girl nodded. "Yes, Ma'am," she quipped with a quiet little salute. Sally gently bopped her on her head, but smiled motherly none-the-less.

Duo looked at the solemn Wufei. "So... what exactly is going to happen? I mean... I don't get how this works."

"How long can you hold your breath?" Heero asked while Wufei never answered.

"Around a minute, I guess. But I can't swim at all," Duo admitted, eying the pool warily. Oh, sure. He could handle a small pool like that. But he'd drown himself in a river or large lake. And he couldn't even fathom what an ocean looked like, much less how he'd manage to stay afloat in it.

M'gan smiled at him. "Ignore those two," she said, holding out her hands. She gripped Duo's hand with one hand, and grabbed Wufei's with the other. "Hold tight to Wufei, Heero." Duo caught Heero's small grimace, but he dutifully took Wufei's hand in his. And Duo winced with the strength the small girl gripped his hand with.

"And whatever you three do... don't let go," she warned, then stepped up onto the brim of the pool. The men followed her, and when she said, "Jump", she jumped into the shallow water. Wufei and Heero were prepared, and were only a nano-second behind her. But Duo was caught slightly by surprise and ended up being tugged along after only enough time for one gasp of breath. A part of him thought this was foolishness. The water couldn't be more than chest deep on him, right? But down... and down, and down! There was no end. His lungs began to burn as the water swirled and swirled around him, pushing in on him with a pressure he'd never felt before. It was like being caught in a current, being pulled down, down, down. Whirling around and around.

And then... he had the dubious pleasure of feeling himself of breaking the surface of the water and flying upwards into the air.

He landed on hard ground on his back, a wet weight on top of him. Opening his eyes and regaining his breath, he found M'gan on top of him, staring into his eyes.

"Why do we keep ending up like this?" She questioned, causing him to blush slightly. He looked around to try and find their other companions, only to find Wufei straddling Heero's hips, almost mirroring his and M'gan's own position, drops of water plopping slowly from Wufei's soaked hair onto Heero's already damp skin. Duo raised a silent eyebrow at the fact that the two were staring at each other intently. Finally Wufei frowned, then muttered something in another language before standing up and stalking away.

Duo frowned as he caught just a flash of longing in Heero's eyes before the mage buried it away, like usual, and sat up.

"We need to move," Heero stated emotionlessly.

M'gan nodded slightly. "The town where Em was captured is about one hour east of here on foot," she pointed to the road near the small creek they'd came out of. "It'd probably be best for me to wait here in the town a few minutes that way," she pointed towards a hill a few hundred yards to the north west. Slowly she sat back and began to stand. "Oh, my heart," she gasped, sinking back down to her knees, her hands clutching at her chest.

"You used too much energy too quickly," Wufei surmised, coming back, a worried look on his face. "Even if Quatre gave you all the energy he could spare, you're damn lucky you're alive after all you've done today."

"Just rest," Duo said, raising a hand to her shoulder. "Take it easy and let us do all the work, kay?"

M'gan nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Duo demanded. "Sorry for getting us here in one piece?"

"Sorry for fainting," she whispered, then collapsed forward as her eyes rolled back in her head. Duo caught her easily, cradling her head against his shoulder. He looked up at Wufei. "I don't think it'd be safe for her again in Eastrock. We should drop her off here in Windborn."

Heero and Wufei blinked at him. "How in Vashti's fire do you know we're in Windborn?" Wufei demanded.

Duo slowly rose to his feet, pulling M'gan up into his arms. She was surprisingly light. Must be some Ellesmeran thing, he figured. "That bridge right up there," Duo pointed to the east, where a bridge on the road crossed part of the creek they'd come from. "That's the border between Eastrock and Windborn. You're forgetting... I've made my way around a little bit. Not safe for a street rat to stay in one village too long. I've visited a village or two in Eastrock province, and I've visited nearly every one in Windborn. I've even touched in Vayette a time or two..." Duo blinked. "Wait a second... Wufei, isn't Trowa's horse named Vayeate? Is there a connection there?"

"Vayeate is an old, old word from the Ellesmeran language meaning 'strong willed'," Heero supplied. "The duchy of Vayette in Sanq borders Ellesmera and what was once Persephone. Once upon a time, it's believed that Vayette was a part of the forest instead of Sanq."

"So... that means that that princess- the one that's not a princess anymore- could possibly be related to someone in Ellesmera?"

Heero glared. "It would be distant. Dozens and Dozens of generations back, if at all."

Duo grinned and settled M'gan against his chest in a bridal hold. "Okay, lets get to Ellis Village over here and get her settled in!" He set off. Behind him, Wufei and Heero shared a look of misery, then followed.

….

It didn't take long for Noin to have a cavalry group ready to head out after the initial rescue group. K'mi had been assigned, of course. Trowa, as well. A young man name Terk. Mera had volunteered to go, and Noin had summarily granted her 'charge' of the group. Normally, she'd have appointed Trowa, but Trowa always went and did his own thing. And she'd like to make sure that even if Trowa left, the group would have a competent leader. Quatre had wanted to go, but Noin figured keeping the healer around for a week more would end up being benificial to her. Quatre and Trowa neither one liked the arrangement, but they were sensible enough to see the practicality and logic in Noin's decisions. There were still people hurt from a recent skirmish with the White Fang group- the mongrel dog shape-shifters. Quatre was needed more here at the moment. He could follow Trowa soon enough.

Quatre kissed Trowa deeply as they stood by Vayeate, who was already loaded for the trip. "Be safe, my love," Quatre murmured against Trowa's lips.

"As long as I have you to come back to," Trowa replied, "I **will** come back."

Quatre smiled- albeit a bit sadly- at the affirmation. "I love you, Trowa Barton of the Bloom tribe," He sated simply, gazing up into green, green eyes that for once were completely human. Quatre kissed him one more time, then stepped back and let Trowa mount the horse.

"I'll see you soon, love," Trowa said, then nudged the Vayeate into a trot, catching up to where K'mi was chatting amiably with Terk on their own small horses.

Mera was busy kissing and talking with her own lover. Mera, it seemed, was ready to leave, but Sally Po was known to be protective of what she saw as 'hers'. And Mera was undoubtably hers. Finally, Mera managed to pull away with one last kiss and touch of her lover's cheek and mount her frisky mare to lead the small group out of the forest village.

Quatre and Noin stood side by side with Sally as they watched the small little group leave.

"Well," Quatre sighed after a moment. "Shall we discuss what we're to do about the White Fang attacks lately?"

Noin inclined her head. "Nows as good a time as..."

For a moment, the world seemed to grow hazy. Noin blinked as a lazy mist seemed to fill the air around the clearing. From all around them, Ellesmerans chattered, observing with paranoia the growing fog.

"It's not the right time nor weather for fog," Sally murmured. A man behind Noin ran his fingers gently through the mist.

"It's warm," he observed. "Isn't fog supposed to be cool?"

"Not wet either," Sally said, slowly pulling her knife from her belt. "Unnatural."

Beside her, Noin did the same. A rustle went through the gathered people as everyone pulled their weapons as the fog grew thicker, cloying with a scent of mountain air.

Noin peered through the dense fog. It seemed almost like bubbles were filling the air, and then she saw it. Her gasp was echoed by Sally's, by everyone's.

It was like thousands of figures were appearing through those bubbles. Her mind raced. An attack? Here in Ellesmera?

No! Not now. Not when so many of her best fighters were gone! Unnatural, though. Sally's word echoed in her mind. Magic to conceal them, until they got close? To create a diversion?

Could White Fang have a new mage? But what power could do this?

"It's a trick!" Quatre shouted to her, breaking the trance she'd put herself in. "Don't believe what you see. The magic, the figures! It's a mirage!"

Mirage? Mirage was like an... illusion. Noin abruptly smiled. Illusion was that power!

"Meiva? Is that your power we see?"

For a moment, the world around them wavered. The figures blurred, then vanished. And the illusion began to dissipate. The fog evaporated within a matter of only moments and a single girl, no more than thirteen turns, stood in the center of the glade, in their very midst. Her pale, silvery blond hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, with her shoulder length bangs framing her heart-shaped face. The straight fall of hair reached to her knees, reaching past the edge of her dove-gray dress. Silver-blue eyes glanced at them.

"Noin," she said. Her voice was calm, soft and melodious. "It has been some time, my friend. I wish we could be meeting under better circumstances."

"And what circumstances are those?" Noin asked, even as it hit her. Meiva stood before her. But... where were her sisters?

"Relena, Dorothy..." Noin whispered, eyes wide. Meiva smiled sadly. "Safe for the moment... Dorothy is in Ki-Lin. Relena is at the Convent; at least one of us must remain to protect our homeland."

Noin, Quatre, and the rest gathered gasped, eyes wide in shock as the full weight of that revelation settled on them.

For the first time in almost thirteen years... the priestesses of the Southern Trinity were separated.

...

Emelina Emara, youngest daughter in the Emara clan, was enjoying herself immensely, despite the facts that a) she was being held prisoner; b) her captors were **not** particularly kind; and c) she had aches and bruises and cuts all over.

Well... her captors, she guessed, might be a little nicer if she were not constantly hiding from them. She smirked as Trant, a unusually sadistic guard, cursed at a seemingly empty room, flung the cup of water he'd been tasked with bringing to the prisoner, and turned on his heel, slamming and locking the door behind him.

With a sound that was half-chuckle and half-sigh, Em let her magick fall away. The shadows that had cloaked the room in darkness lifted, evaporated like smoke. And tucked in a small corner, where nothing had been seen only a moment ago, her tiny body uncurled itself from it's little ball. She leaned one way, then the other; stretching the kinks out of her spine. However much fun it was to torment her captors with an 'invisible' captive, it was rather discouraging when the inevitable was that she was denied whatever little water they'd deemed to give her.

She' only been here a little over a day, if her guess was right. It had been afternoon when she was captured, and now was nearing twilight again. She was thankful that M'gan had escaped, and hoped that M'gan went to seek reinforcements instead of trying some crazy solo rescue scheme; Then again, crazy schemes were K'mi's specialty, not M'gan's.

Thinking of her two 'partners in crime' as Miss Sally called the them, Em felt a pang of homesickness. They'd taken to rotating who was where, in order to stay on the hunt for Lady Lyonesse as long as possible. One would go home, then join back up. Another would go home, then come back. Then another. Then, they'd all three travel together for some time before starting the process over again. The rotation had worked for the few years they'd been the search party for Lyonesse. K'mi had only been gone for about half of her 'leave', and she was the last before Em. K'mi was born with the wander-lust. She was never satisfied if she wasn't moving- sorta like her cousin Trowa, Em figured. M'gan enjoyed traveling well enough, as long as she got to go home occasionally. Which she did, using her gift- which made their job a lot easier. But Em... Em hated the open road. She wanted to be home, with her parents and her brothers and sisters. She was rooted in Ellesmera, and by the time her 'leave' rolled around, she was nearly dead from home-sickness. She missed her family, her home.

But for M'gan, she'd travel a little. Honestly, everyone thought her motivation in being part of the search party was her love and respect for Lady Lyonesse. But it was simply her love and respect for M'gan that kept her on the road, away from all she loved. Oh, no. It wasn't **that** kind of love, as some had speculated. It was more of a sister-kind-of-love. Except that M'gan was closer to her than even any of her real sisters.

Em sighed yet again and brushed a strand of dishwater blond hair out of her face, letting a hazel gaze settle on the door in front of her. How much longer would she stay in this room before they came for her? Before twilight descended and the fires were lit? Would M'gan be able to save her? It had been such a stupid thing, getting caught. Just a few too many people got suspicious. One day too many in the wrong town. Just the wrong place at the wrong time. And they'd been getting so close, too. They'd maybe been on some clue!

Someone had mentioned a woman at a nearby village taking care of his horse for a day. From what little Em and M'gan had gathered, the woman possibly had a 'knack' for dealing with animals. Lyonesse had a way with animals. Nothing magickal by any length, but Lyonesse had such a gentle, calm personality that animals felt at ease around her. They'd been about to leave for this village. Even if it wasn't Lyonesse, perhaps the woman could lend them some information or other.

Em stretched another knot out of her muscles, then settled back against the wall once more to wait. Whether she was waiting for death or rescue, she didn't know. But all the same... she waited.


	19. Unfortunate News

Trial By Fire

"Unfortunate News

Not ten steps until the village's gates, Wufei felt the weight in his pocket lessen. It took all of a split second for Wufei's iron grip to catch the thief's wrist, and pry back his little bundle of coins. It either spoke ill of Wufei, or well of the thief's abilities that Wufei had never seen the boy coming. Most pick-pockets used the cover of crowds. That Wufei missed him even in the open... the thought didn't sit well with Wufei.

Duo turned to look at Wufei, noting that his companion had fallen behind, even though it was Heero- beside Duo- carrying the girl.

"Let me go," the thief snarled. "Keep your flippin' coins, just let me go."

Wufei glanced at the boy from head to toe. He was a bit old to be trying to pick-pocket like this. Only younger than Duo by at least a year. Much too old for this low sort of thieving. He could have a decent job, or worse be a true robber or mercenary.

"You tried to steal from me," Wufei said blankly. "Tell me why I should let you go instead of turning you into the authorities?"

The young man's face paled.

"Because the authorities would beat the life out of him, and if he still lived afterwards, they'd turn him over to some sick, perverted asshole for 'rehabilitation'. I've seen it happen plenty of times," Duo spoke, his voice a little rough.

Wufei turned his eyes to Duo. "Do you have experience with this 'rehabilitation'?" Wufei demanded, concerned. Duo lifted a hand in a manner as to wave off the question.

"That's neither here nor there. Let the boy go, Wufei." He turned to the boy. "We might have a use for another one of Father Maxwell's reforms." He grinned wryly. "Or attempted reforms. Especially another one of the gifted ones."

The thief's brown-hazel eyes narrowed onto Duo's cloaked form. "Who're you, and what do you know about the Monastery?"

"About as much as the only survivor of the attack can know," Duo said, pushing his hood back. "It's good to see you, Aleandro."

The thief- Aleandro- nearly did a double-take as Wufei let his arm go.

"Duo?" his voice then dropped to a whisper. "They said that you were dead. Last rumor had it that you'd burned in some back-water village."

Duo grinned, holding out his arms. "Well, I'm obviously alive, so they were obviously wrong about the dead part."

"They were right about the burning part though," Wufei pointed out thoughtfully. "You just didn't die."

"Thanks to you," Duo reminded.

"Well, fuck me," Aleandro cursed, running a hand through shaggy dark brown hair. This day was just full of surprises.

"Duo," Heero said pointedly. "We do have a schedule to keep, if you will."

Duo nodded. "Of course." He looked to Aleandro. "Hey, Ali. How would you like to earn a few coins- the honest way. And maybe turn over a new leaf or two for yourself?"

Aleandro looked at Duo. "Whatever you say, Duo. If you managed to survive the fall of the Monastery- and being burned alive- then I'm not about to cross you!"

"Duo," Heero said again, more pointedly.

Duo looked back at him. "Wait just a moment, 'Ro. I have an idea."

.*.*.

"I'm very sorry to trouble you like this," Duo said sadly, bowing his head. "But my dear sister... We have to move on, and she's in no condition to travel."

"Much understandable," the inn-keeper nodded. "But is it at all appropriate for a mere servant to stay as her keeper?"

Duo frowned. "He's a loyal, faithful boy," he nodded. "And my sister will soon be back to her usual self- that is to say, It's not weather he can protect her, but rather if he can protect everyone else from her," he laughed, pulling a chuckle from the inn-keeper.

"Rowdy, is she?"

"No. Just too strong-willed. They will be fine." Duo dropped a few coins into his hand. "Can you please keep an eye on them for me, sir? She'll only be a few days, and then she'll doubtlessly be following us. She's my precious sister, and I'd hate for anything to happen to her while me and my friends are away."

The inn-keeper nodded, a bit misty eyed. "You're a good'un, young man. I'll treat her like she was my own daughter. No man'll lay a finger on her."

"Thank you, sir," Duo said, clasping the man's shoulder. "I"m counting on you."

"Duo," Came Wufei's voice from the stair-well leading up to the inn's rooms. "She's asleep, and Ali is guarding her door. I hate to ask you to do this, but we really should be leaving."

The inn-keeper smiled at them. "Travel safe, young'uns. And try not to fall into the creeks anymore, alright?"

Duo laughed. "We'll try our best. Goodbye, sir. And thank you for your kindness."

The inn-keeper kept smiling and waved them off as Duo and Wufei both walked out to where Heero was.

Once they'd walked a fair piece from the town, Heero turned to Duo. "Interesting cover, our cart falling into the river. But are you sure you can trust that boy?"

"Who? Aleandro?"

Heero made an affirmative grunt, but Duo waved it off. "Just because we're thieves doesn't mean we **want** to be. If given the choice, we usually do try to take an honest job. Ali's always been a good sort, too. Nobody else can be as quiet as him, either. Father Maxwell always said it was a 'gift'. Like mine, but mostly it just seems to be a useful little talent. Nothing extraordinary Besides... M'gan will be more than a match for him once she's woken up. Ali is as soft-hearted as a mother hen. Besides... once she bats those dark eyelashes of hers, he's a gonner," Duo laughed. "Always falls for the charmers, that kid. Now... let's see if we can't go rescue our friend before **she** becomes a gonner!"

.*.*.

To say that Tarien, former Princess of Sanq, was quiet happy with her new life as farm-girl would be an understatement. A great understatement.

As the day was drawing to a close, she clicked her tongue once more, giving the reigns only a slight little slap, thinking. It wasn't so much the chores she liked- though she was quiet happy to have something meaningful to occupy her time. It was more the life itself, the people in it. She adored being around people she loved, day in and day out. She loved doing something worthwhile, something to help them.

Like this, heading back to 'their' small village and farm from the larger farmers market, several hours away. Howard had been with her, but he'd decided to stay in the larger town to catch up with some old aquaintances, while Tarien and the horses were needed back at the farm.

It was the first time she'd made such a long trek on her own, but she didn't feel out of place at all. She quiet enjoyed it. Of course, there was a ring of danger to a young girl traveling along by herself, but she didn't worry. The horses would protect her, she knew, with their very lives if they needed to.

Which was about the only thing about this new life that irked her. There was something... off... about her lately. Before, in her 'old' life, her life as princess, her exposure to animals was limited to the few dogs and cats in the castle, and her own mare, Moonlight, currently helping pull the cart. She giggled. Her uncle probably still didn't know the horse was missing. Although if he found out, it would be her head on a stake. With her dis- inheritance, all her assets were seized by her uncle. And stealing from the crown was treason, and punishable by death.

And as of late, something was... off. She'd always thought Moonlight was just exceptionally smart for a horse. But... as time went on, the other horses were showing the same intelligence. Even the dogs and cats and cows and other animals... it was almost as if they could **hear** what she was thinking, what she wanted them to do.

She'd heard the whispers around town. Some of them though she had... magick. Honestly, she didn't know if she did or not. Nor did she much care, nor was she in a hurry to find out. And that in itself surprised her.

She'd grown a lot more accepting since moving in with Hilde and her family. Magick didn't seem quiet as evil as she'd grown up to believe. She didn't really care one way or the other. She was herself. Magick or not, it wouldn't change that.

She sighed, and flicked the reigns again, keeping the two horses on their steady, forward course. It wasn't until she was almost upon them that she saw them.

Five big, burly men. Clearly robbers or mercenaries from their clothes. They held someone, pulling him roughly across the dirt of the road. She slowed her cart, observing everything. Would they just let her pass with no trouble? Maybe...

As she ambled her cart closer, she noticed the rope bindings around the young man's arms, shackling his feet, and the gag strung across his mouth. And she noticed the fair amount of bruising. For a moment, she considered just going on her way, as the men weren't paying her much attention, just moving slightly out of her way.

That was how things worked out here, she recalled. Everyone minding their own. Then, she swallowed. Hadn't she just thought that she was herself and nothing changed that?

And title or no title, she was **still** her mother's daughter, and she would not ride idly by as this man was tortured. No matter what he'd done, thief or what-have-you, he didn't deserve to be treated like this.

She pulled on the reigns, the cart ambling to a stop, and stood up.

"Let go of him this instant," Tarien snapped, putting all the regal inflection she could upon her words.

One of the guards looked up at her, then they all five laughed. Tarien bristled at the slight, even though she knew she wasn't much intimidating. A lone woman, petite and almost dainty, against five burly mercenaries. Knowing she was already in trouble, she stood and stepped out of the cart.

"You'd best run along home to your ma', little one," one of them told her in a sickeningly sweet voice. "This one here's one o' them demon boys, gots the evil magicks in him, he does. He'll roast you alive if you show him an inch of leniency."

Another laughed. "That is if'n he don't use you to tickle his fancy, first."

Tarien paused and her jade eyes met with the emerald ones of the blond boy. There was a fire burning deep in them, but also repulsion and fear. Repulsion, she thought, at the things they'd accused him of wanting doing, and fear that they might do the same things to him or her. But there was nothing in those eyes that frightened her. They were the eyes of an honorable person, she decided. Eyes too shadowed to be innocent, but too kind to be cruel. Eyes like Hilde's.

The eyes of a noble.

She set her jaw and pulled up to her full height, stalking forward. She had no idea if she could do it or not, but had, after all, been noticing that the horses around her followed not only her physical or verbal guidance, but almost as if they followed her **intent**. Magick, the other's thought.

Maybe.

Even while the men laughed, and she could feel them move, closer to her, she closed her eyes for one moment, and prayed that she wasn't crazy. And for once, for the first time in her life, she actively embraced everything she had feared about magick, and prayed that it ran in her own veins like it ran in Hilde's. Not just apathy to the subject, but accepting it for everything it was and could be.

She opened her mind and heart, and poured her will into them, hoping that Daisy and Moonlight could hear her, and hoping that those mercenaries' horses could too.

For one moment, nothing happened, and she was afraid that it wasn't working. She let her frustration and hope and wanting pour into her will, and then, the world changed.

Daisy and Moonlight, some yards behind her, pranced forward towards her, bringing the little cart closer. And the five motley horses belonging to those vile men bolted and reared. Two men were knocked out when flying hooves connected with fragile skulls. Another was nearly trampled as his horse threw him in the path of the other horses. The two hanging onto the blond gasped in fright and in the commotion, let go of their prisoner to try and calm the horses and see to their comrades.

Tarien took her chance. She darted forward even as she leaned down and plucked the dagger from her boot. It took only a split second to slit the rope ties that bound the boy's ankles together, and another moment for the rope that bound his wrists together and yank the gag down, away from his mouth.

And she was nearly flung back as the boy nearly surged upright, surged to life. Flames burst into life all around them, the mercenaries' packs and supplies and even the clothes on their backs, and further frightened the horses, rearing and squealing.

But as quickly as he'd stood, he collapsed again. Tarien grabbed his almost frail body and tugged him as upright as possible.

"Into the cart!" she urged, pushing and prodding the nearly unconscious boy into the cart. After a few minutes, he was in, and Tarien flung herself up after him, sending the thought through her heart and to her horses.

With a loud neigh, the two mares, hers and Hilde's, leaped forward and galloped away, leaving the dead and dying cruel men to their fiery fate.

*.*.*

Meiva, Priestess of the Southern Trinity, didn't broke down until later.

She put on the brave, kind, stoic face that everyone expected of a Priestess of the Southern Trinity. She kept up the cool facade until after, when it was only her, Noin, and five others. And then the illusion around her crumbled, whisked away like smoke, and the tears fell.

Noin kept her arms wrapped around the girl as Quatre, Milliardo, and Sally talked amongst themselves.

"Meiva," she said. "Please, Meiva. We need to know what's going on. Can you tell us what's happening in the world?"

The girl- looking for all the world like the child she was- sniffled and nodded. Noin hugged her tighter. Being a Priestess was such a harsh burden for such a small girl.

"Treize Kushrenada is not your enemy," she said, wiping away the last of her tears. Noin settled back, watching the girl slowly pull her mask back down, watching the Priestess once again replace the child.

Fascinating- yet heartbreaking- to watch.

At the blank, confused look from everyone, Meiva tilted her head. "Well. He's not your only enemy. Or your worst. Duke Dermail is not dead," she said.

And watched as the faces contorted, the mouths dropped, and the gasps filled the room.

"Now is not the time for joking," Sally said crossly. "Especially not that kind of joke."

"It's not a joke," Meiva replied sadly. "Dermail is very much alive. According to the Goddesses, he's working **with** Treize Kushrenada. Which means we are all in very real danger."

Quatre held up a hand. "Is there anything else? Surely this can't be the only reason the Trinity is split up?"

Meiva frowned. "They sent me here because... one of the Seers in the Convent had a vision of a possible future. The future created with the course the world is set on now. That future can change, and I hope it does."

"What did they see?" Noin prodded.

"Sanq... governed by a council elected by the people."

Noin's eyes narrowed. "That is what we want to do. What was horrible about that?"

Meiva frowned. "We- Relena, Dorothy, and I, that is- believe that the people of Sanq are yet too young to be given such responsibilities as electing who to lead them. As that is what we saw... a council driving the land into the ground. The people perishing, while the council lives it large."

"Then for the first few generations, **we** choose the council," Sally proposed. "Problem solved."

"And if the people do not like your council-members?" Meiva retorted. "If a rebellion breaks out? If you choose wrongly? The peasants might be behind you... but the nobility still sides with Kushrenada for the most part. You need to address this problem- you need to apeal to both the nobles and the peasants. But it needs not be today. Dermail is still our bigger threat. As priestesses, we will always opt for the peaceful route, but..." Meiva frowned. "Experience has taught us that peace does not always enter into Dermail's brain, and that blood-shed may not be possible to escape. How many able-fighters do you have here? And how many **special** trained people?"

Noin tilted her head, and after a moment's calculation, spouted off a few numbers. Meiva's frown deepened.

"I would have thought the number higher," Meiva said.

"We had a skirmish lately with White Fang," Sally interrupted. "We still have a few out of comission from that."

"And," Noin admitted, "Our best fighters- and our three best scouts- are already deployed. One of the scouts was taken prisoner and is set to be executed. Among the numbers of the rescue group was Trowa, from Clan Barton, Wufei of the Chang Tribe in Ki-Lin, and Heero- a mercenary we've procured the services of."

"Don't forget Duo, the Hunter girl... and M'gan," Quatre reminded her.

Noin nodded. "The best archer from Circe is among the group, our own water-transporter, and a new addition to our ranks- a very powerful 'mover'."

"An earth mover, like that mercenary?" Meiva asked. She knew the tales of Heero Yuy quite well, after all.

Quatre shook his head. "No. Duo doesn't seem to be limited in what he can and can't move. Stones, logs, people. I doubt he has as much raw strength as Heero, but Duo has the stamina to last. And he's not limited to dirt and stones."

Meiva sighed. "Then it is unfortunate he and the others are not here. I fear... I fear that White Fang and Dermail are not as seperate as we think. I fear Ellesmera itself may be a target in the near future."


	20. Preparing For Sunset

Trial By Fire

'Preparing For Sunset'

...

Dorothy, eldest of the three Priestesses of the Southern Trinity, looked at the two black haired men in front of her. Well, men was a relative term. Both were younger than her, and the youngest was barely more than a boy- perhaps not much older than Meiva- not yet 17, she hazarded to guess. And yet both were very powerful water-wielders. She always found it amusing that a country like Ki-Lin- one where fire was revered above all else, even associated with their patron Goddess- had two representatives that were both water-wielders.

Shouri and Yuuri, she pondered. Brothers, and both of the Shibuya family. A small, barely known clan, but yet it had produced the two most powerful magick users in Ki-Lin. If memory served her correct, the father was only mildly gifted, and their mother not at all.

Yuuri, the younger and shorter of the two, was shaking his head at his brother. "No," he said. "That's not an acceptable plan."

"Yuuri," Shouri sighed. "When are you going to accept that sometimes fighting is the only way to get what you want!"

Dorothy watched as the two launched into an argument. The younger was a staunch pacifist- despite actually being the more powerful of the brothers. And the elder did what needed to be done, even if it was fight.

"Are they always like this?" She asked, tilting her head towards Murata, Yuuri and Shouri's cousin, although Murata followed Yuuri and not the elder brother like most of the Shibuya family did.

Murata chuckled. "No," he admitted. "Usually they're worse. Yuuri's only staying calm and not yelling at Shouri- and vice versa- because Yuuri's lover is in Sanq." Murata then frowned. "We've not received word from him, either. For a week now. I fear the worse... although Yuuri keeps hanging on to hope."

"Both of these boys are young," Dorothy hung her head. "Maybe too young."

"Youth has nothing to do with anything," a voice snapped. Dorothy looked up at the woman. The woman wasn't very tall, but that could be an illusion, because the woman was stooped with age. Her hair- once probably as black as the three men around her- was swan-white and twisted into a bun atop her head. The hairstyle made her face seem more angular that what it probably was, and helped to pull out a few of the wrinkles in the soft skin.

She leaned heavily on a cane grasped in her hands, and a younger woman- perhaps Dorothy's age- stood a step behind her, looking regal in a blood-red dress with her raven hair pulled up into twin buns on her head.

"Grandmother Long," Murata stood, bowing to the elderly woman. Yuuri and Shouri stopped bickering long enough to follow suit. Even Dorothy- who, on basic principle, never bowed to royalty or the likes- stood and gave a slight bow. Or more a deep incline of her head. She showed respect not for title, but for age.

"No such thing as 'too young'; no such thing as 'too old', either," Grandmother Long said, now that she had their attention. "If the heart and the will are such that experience doesn't matter as much."

"Well said, Grandmother," Murata smiled.

"Greetings from the Southern Plains," Dorothy greeted.

"And greetings from the Long Mountains," the woman said with a wave of her hand. "But enough formalities. You want us to start fighting those misguided fools to the north-west, don't you?"

Dorothy winced at the curt tone. "It's not as black-and-white as that, Grandmother. There are still other ways this may play out... but yes. We ask that your kinsmen stand ready to fight alongside the Resistance, if it comes to that."

"The Resistance?" Grandmother Long questioned. "Those madder-than-a-march-hare younglings up in that forest? Pft."

Dorothy bristled. "The Resistance is **not **mad, and not all of them are young. They only want peace over the land. And for that to happen... something **must** be done about Treize Kushrenada and the way he's twisting the people to hate magick. **And** we must do something, because Duke Dermail is not dead, and chances are, he's seeking to use Treize to finish what he started years ago!"

Dorothy calmed down, and dusted a few invisible flecks from her white dress. She hadn't meant to say all that. Not yet, at the least.

Murata's eyes narrowed, and Grandmother Long's cane clicked harshly against the floor. And the rest of the room fell silent.

"Dermail is alive?" Grandmother Long asked. "And you're certain of this?"

Dorothy nodded, sinking back into her seat. "The Goddesses themselves say so. We also have a Seer keeping her mind open for even the minutest shift in the possible futures. We're afraid that war may be inevitable. You each **know** how Dermail is."

The woman behind Grandmother Long frowned, and turned her head away sadly even as Grandmother Long's face hardened.

"My granddaughter, MeiLing's younger sister, was taken from this world under his influence," she gritted out, voice cold. "I know very well how Dermail is, and how he works. His is a cruel mind that should be silenced forever."

Dorothy nodded. "Yes. You can see why we come to you for assistance. Can we count on you, Grandmother?"

Suddenly, the Grandmother seemed less regal and wise, and more ancient and weary. She sighed, and leaned heavily on her cane. "I will spread the word among my tribes. They will choose themselves their own paths. I will neither push them to go, nor beg them to stay. It is their fate, it is their decision."

Dorothy nodded. "As it should be." She turned to the Shibuya brothers.

Shouri nodded. "I will follow in Grandmother Long's ways," he said. "But I can assure you, there are many of my men who would fight for a chance at killing Dermail. He has wronged us **all**."

Yuuri frowned, chewing on his bottom lip, torn between decisions, when suddenly the doors to their meeting room were blown open and a tall, majestic and buxom blond stalked in.

"Yuuri's future mother-in-law," Murata informed her in an aside. "And the woman who held his position of ruler of the western tribes before he did."

Dorothy nodded as the blond woman began begging Yuuri. Apparently, it had been another day with no word from her son, alone in Sanq. He'd only been going to sneak into the capital to observe the current situation. Not reveal himself or create any chaos. Something had to be wrong.

"Wolfram is the strongest fire-wielder of the western tribes," Murata explained. "And a trained soldier- he was a young child, but even he fought in the war against Dermail. He wouldn't fail easily. And it's unlike him to not keep in contact with Yuuri."

Dorothy nodded again, finally getting a feel for the situation. Everything everywhere was teetering on the brink of an apocalypse. War was there, just waiting to sink it's claws deep into the land, into the people, once again.

"King Yuuri," she spoke up. "We are on the brink of war, if you like to admit that or not. Something **will** happen, and I must know if we can count on you to support us, or if you're against us."

Yuuri looked from the blond woman to Dorothy, then sighed heavily, eyes downcast. "I... I guess I can do the same as Grandmother Long. It is a person's own choice to fight or not to fight." He looked up again, and Dorothy saw the power roiling in those eyes. Oh, yes. Yuuri was even tempered and calm and peaceful, but he'd have to be to balance out such an awesome, ravaging gift.. "But, Miss Dorothy, ally or foe, if my Wolfram is hurt, someone is going to die."

And somehow, Dorothy certainly believed him. For everyone's sake, she hoped that somewhere, somehow, this 'Wolfram' was safe and cozy.

….

Em leaned up, peering out the small, single window. It was almost dark, and the air was thick, heavy with oil. Oil for burning things.

She cringed. Burning things like her. She clasped her hand over her heart. She was scared. She'd hoped they would have rescued her by now. She wasn't sure she could save herself, even if she tried. But she didn't want to die. For the first time since her capture, her ever-present courage began to crack. As she heard the clack of footsteps in the hall, the rattle of keys and chains, her faith began to desert her.

And for the first time, a small, sparkling tear snaked it's way down her dirty, smudged cheek.

Things didn't look good for her. But, with a tear on her face, and fear in her heart, she drew her magic around her as the door opened.

She was **not** finished yet. She was **not** beaten.

…..

Duo tested his bound hands, realizing they'd trussed him up fairly tight. Things were not looking good for him. He was just thankful that Wufei and Heero had already left.

When they'd first arrived in the village, some few hours before sunset, they'd quickly decided to split up to find Em, although Duo was pretty sure if they just waited around, they'd find her quick enough.

If the large wooden stake and oil-soaked wood in the town square was anything to go by, that is.

So, when the guards had caught him snooping around suspiciously behind the town-hall, all he could be grateful for was that the other two were not with him.

He probably easily could have fended them off with a few well-placed flying logs or bricks. But then, that would give away the presence of the Resistance in the town, which would have them on the look-out for strangers like Wufei and Heero. And no-matter what happened to him, he had to make sure they stayed safe. Make sure they still had a chance to rescue that little girl.

Duo didn't struggle much, or put up any sort of 'magickal' fight. But he did curse up a blue streak, using the language he'd grown use to on the streets. With any luck, they'd think him just some regular old thief or street-rat. Duo almost giggled childishly at the thought. When he'd found Ellesmera, the family he had there, he'd thought he'd given up the street-rat, orphan life for good. It was never a conscious thought, but he had thought it, somewhere inside of him.

And now, here he was, pretending to be something he once was. They had him in weak, second-rate shackles, and were dragging him along like a sack of potatoes through the darkening ally-ways of the village proper. If he wasn't mistaken, he'd been in this exact situation before.

But... back then, he wasn't on a time schedule, he thought, looking towards where the sun was inching further towards the horizon. And he didn't have friends depending on him. From what he could gather from their mutterings back and forth, they were just going to lock him up for the night and deal with him tomorrow.

Which didn't work out real well with his sun-down time limit. He began to wrack his brain, thinking of the best ways to get loose, without using his power or looking like anything more than some snarky street-rat. And he was coming up with nothing. He wasn't strong like Wufei or Heero. He couldn't just over-power the three guards without any weapon on him. And damn but if he hadn't left his own knife with Ali- the better to protect himself and M'gan.

"I think you'd best let the boy go," a voice echoed. All three guards paused, causing Duo to jerk and almost stumble to the ground before they hauled him back to his feet. Duo twisted until he could see the source of the voice, and then... he nearly swallowed his tongue.

She stood tall, five' seven is she was an inch. And, Duo noted with mild appreciation, she had curves that any woman would kill for, which she'd draped in dark brown men's traveling pants, a tan billowed blouse cinched with a ebony corset, all accompanied by knee-high black riding boots and a black traveling cloak, thrown back over her shoulders even though the hood still shadowed her face.

And one mustn't overlook the low-slung belt and it's prominently displayed dagger. But what probably frightened the guards most, Duo figured, had to be the tall, oak staff in her hand. It might seem simple enough, but even the lunk-headed guards had to know the pain an experienced user could inflict with the fire-hardened wood staff that was even taller than she.

She peered at them from under shaggy onyx bangs. "I suggest you let the boy go," she repeated, her voice carrying the lilt of the Riealian Isles. At least, Duo thought, she had the same accent that Sara and Nora did. But there was no way on Atara that she was any kind of Daughter of Mystra or priestess, he told himself. Maybe some kind of angel of death, but no Daughter like the twins.

Her voice seemed to break the guards out of their trance.

"Listen, missy. Run home t' your fam'ly. This does **not** concern you. This miscreant was in an off-limits area, he's t' be punished."

"And I say," she drawled, tapping the butt of her staff on the ground, "that your charges are trumped up and you have much bigger problems to worry about right now."

"Bigger problems? You mean that bitch of a demon? She's not a problem. Well, she won't be in a few minutes," another guard barked with laughter. The others joined in, and the woman sighed.

"No, moron," she said in a 'duh' tone. "I mean... **me**." With that, she flew into motion. Duo barely saw her. She was naught but a blur of shadows as she swirled into the group like a cyclone. Duo stood as still as he could, feeling the brush of her cloak against his skin, and hearing the whistle of the staff as it flew centimeters from him, but never touched. One breath. Two breaths. Three.

And it was over. All three guards lay in a groaning pile around him, and the woman stood in front of him, glancing down her nose at him. "I get the feeling you're a bit stronger than you look, little bit," she said. "So why didn't you take out those guards yourself?"

Duo huffed at the slight to him, and the nick-name, apparently. "I was **trying** not to give away my companions' presence in this village. Once the moron's here realize something's up, it could spell trouble for me, my friends, **and** that innocent girl they're trying to burn."

Duo huffed again, turning away. "You might have just blown our chances, lady."

The woman tilted her head, noticing the very clear burn marks trailing down the side of Duo's face.

"So, you've been in her situation," she said softly, her dark blue-violet eyes down-cast. "I assume by innocent, she doesn't wield magick?"

Duo looked back over his shoulder at her. "Just who in Arzanth's name are you?" he demanded, glaring at her.

She pushed her hood back, revealing short choppy onyx hair that barely brushed her shoulders, and creamy, milk-maid's skin. Without the shadows of the hood, she looked almost different. She seemed not much younger than Sally, though he'd thought she might be older, from the way she talked down to him. But she couldn't be more than eight or nine years older than him, and he had a feeling she looked older than she was.

"The name is Na Raina Vanissitiriana Donala," she told him with a straight face. Duo raised an eyebrow.

"What a mouthful. I bet you hate your parents," he commented, earning him a small chuckle from her.

"Actually, I'm proud of my name. Vanissitiriana is the name of the most ancient temple of Mystra in the Riealian Isles. My parents, Arzanth guard their souls, had hoped that I would one day become a Daughter there. And you can call me Van- most people do."

Duo blinked. "So you **are** a Daughter? I thought I recognized the accent."

Van chuckled again. "No, I'm not a Daughter of Mystra. You have to have the gift to be a Daughter. I'm as plain and simple as the dirt in the fields."

"No-one is that plain- especially not someone who just took out three men in three seconds flat. But, you're not a Daughter, but you **are** Riealian? What are you doing here?"

She shrugged one shoulder. "Technically I'm half Riealian, half Circean, but that's neither here nor there. I heard wind of a demon being burned tonight. I thought I'd check it out, and see if they should be rescued or not."

"She should," Duo commented, then sighed. "That's what I'm here for. To rescue her. My name's Duo, Duo Maxwell. From Sanq, as far as I remember, but currently residing in Ellesmera."

It was Van's turn to raise an eyebrow. "The city in the forest, hmm? You must be part of the Resistance, then. And I'm willing to bet you've got a touch of the magick of your own."

Duo frowned. He didn't know how much to tell this woman. She seemed to be on his side... but one never knew. And she seemed to sense is uneasiness. Raising her hands, she tilted her head and smiled.

"I know. Weird woman with a stick. I wouldn't trust me either," she laughed. "But I can already tell you... if you want to save this girl of yours... we'd best hurry." She motioned behind him, and over the rooftops, Duo could see the faint flow of what was left of daylight beginning to fade away. The moment the last of the sun was gone, Em would burn. He looked back at the woman, at Van. Then, he sighed.

"Sun is setting," he said. "Let's move."

...

To Be Continued

...

AN: Oh, yes. I went there. This is now technically a crossover, because the Kyo Kara Maoh boys were the ones who saved me from that insufferable writer's block and got me back into the groove for this story! Please read and review! Love ya!


	21. Embers In The Wind

Trial By Fire

Embers In The Wind

...

Wufei glanced up at the setting sun. There were maybe seven minutes left. Not enough time. The crowd was already gathered, the cross set, the fire-wood soaked. And Em. They were dragging her through the crowd amidst taunts and jeers and laughter and cheers. These people, these horrible people, wanted her to die. They'd been brainwashed into thinking that magick was evil, and anyone who used it should be quickly executed.

Poor Em was being pulled through the crowd. Even from here, Wufei could see she was trying to stand tall and be brave, but her eyes were full of fear.

Wufei's hand rested on his sword. He didn't want to put Em's life at risk. He'd almost lost Duo by over-estimating his own abilities. He didn't want to loose Em; she was a sweet girl with a great future. But **where** was Duo? He should be giving some kind of signal any moment now. He should have already given the signal.

Em's hands were being bound behind the stake. Wufei shook his head. He had no idea what was up with Duo, but he refused to wait any longer. Putting two fingers to his lips, he let out a long shrill whistle.

Almost immediately, an arrow flew, straight and true, and took out one of the guards. Heero was right on cue, and not half bad with a bow, either.. Wufei drew his sword and threw his hood back, trying to make his way through the crowd without hurting anyone.

But they were too late, it seemed. In the panic, one of the guards decided to take initiative and threw the torch into the wood at Em's feet. Wufei almost felt de ja vu as the flames quickly began to eat the wood, licking towards Em's feet as the girl cringed and cried out. Wufei heard the whistle and saw Em sag forward, arms coming free as she almost stumbled into the fire around her in surprise. Heero'd cut the ropes!

But it wasn't enough. Guards were drawing their swords all around Wufei, and he couldn't reach her quick enough. And he couldn't maintain much control over the fire. He could whisper enough to it to keep it from consuming the small little platform Em was on, but he couldn't keep it from consuming the wood around it, or from burning. No, his concentration went too much to keeping himself alive.

This was not turning out so well.

And then, the unexpected happened. Guards in the crowd, around Wufei, began to fall. A blur of red and black sped around him, a whirlwind making it's way towards him. When the blur stopped, Wufei found himself side by side with a young woman, decked in dark colors of red and black and dark brown.

"Duo sent me," she hissed, using a long staff to fend off attackers. "Let me handle these guys. Concentrate on keeping her safe for a few more moments," she ordered. For one moment, Wufei blinked, but then shook it off. He had no choice but to trust her to protect him while he tried to push the flames down. He was still too far away to do much good, but without having to fend off the guards, it was a bit easier.

And that's when he saw it. Em. Slowly, slowly rising into the air, hovering above the flames. For a moment, she seemed almost ethereal, her body in the air as the wind billowed her wild hair, fluttered her skirt, and had embers and ashes dancing around her. Then, he saw her look of shock, and only then, did Wufei catch sight of village archers raising their bows.

"EM! DISAPPEAR! NOW!"

Wufei's voice broke through her trance of shock, and her body shimmered in shadows for a moment before completely disappearing amidst the smoke and embers. And then the archers began to drop, one by one, with arrows somewhere in their bodies. One managed to fire first, but the arrow just soared through the air where Em had been moments before.

And then, Wufei figured Heero must had dropped the bow, because the earth under their feet began to rumble. The ground began to split as a chasm appeared. Guards dropping to their death in the pits of the world as the villagers scrambled away.

"Let's get out of this place," Wufei's companion suggested, and Wufei could only nod in agreement as he let his control over the flames go, even pushing them to consume the wood quicker, and forcing it to spread all around. Two guards screamed as their clothes caught fire. One stumbled backwards into Heero's chasm, and the earth rumbled again as the rift closed. Wufei and the woman fended off attackers as they backed out of the village square.

"The alley," she said, and they ducked to the side, into the alley and out of the throngs of people. Then they broke into dead runs. The woman took a sharp turn, and with nothing better to do, Wufei followed. A black and white horse neighed from where it waited beside a building, it's reigns only loosely looped around a stack of crates. The woman wasted no time swinging into the saddle, then held down a hand to the Ki-Lin warrior.

"Trust me," she said when, for once, he hesitated. The sound of the crowd behind him, however, made up Wufei's mind. He took the woman's hand and let her pull him into the saddle- she was stronger than she looked, and he didn't have to even help much.

And with that, they were off into the night. Wufei could only hope the others had made their escape, too.

...

"It was madness, I tell you," the man was rambling, deluded with pain. "Madness. Fire everywhere, the horses gone mad. Mad, I say. And that woman!" He tried to growl, but the sound only came out as a choked gurgle. Blood dribbled out of the side of his mouth, and the burns had left the majority of his body in a charred, blackened, sickly mess. A smell, the smell of rotten things, wafted up from him, letting Trowa know he was already half-dead.

Trowa looked down at the man with a mix of pity and scorn even as K'mi had to turn away and leave, one hand over her mouth and eyes filled with tears. Mara stood a ways off, watching curiously as to Trowa's actions, and the 'boy' as Trowa considered him was helping K'mi. He'd probably hold her hair if she puked, but he doubted she would. She was squeamish, but she wouldn't throw up her lunch over this.

There was no doubt in Trowa's mind that this man had lived a less than honest life. What little Trowa could pick out on his clothes branded him a mercenary. But unlike Heero- who gave his sword and gift where **needed**- this man was a common mercenary. A thief, a robber. On him was murder, and probably a few unwilling bed-guests, too. Even beneath the sickening smell of burnt and rotting flesh, Trowa could pick out that on him. He was a bad man. But did anyone deserve to die like this? Slowly, agonizingly. Burned alive. Examining him, Trowa was willing to bet he'd been roughed up fairly well before the flames got to him. He was more than likely bleeding inside.

But even above thinking this, Trowa's mind was pondering what had happened to him. A woman who had a good hand with animals? The story sounded vaguely familiar.

He knelt down, even closer to the wretch. "The woman. Think, man. The woman, what did she look like?"

The man gurgled and muttered, clearly out of it. Something about a peasant with a queen's voice. And then...

"Her eyes," the man said, his own eyes wide, horrified. "Green eyes, doll eyes. But no fear, no fear, no fear. It was madness, I say..."

Trowa stood up. The man would be no further use. But...

A green-eyed woman, who showed no fear in the face of danger. Dress liked a peasant, but spoke like a queen. And who had a way with animals.

It wasn't much, but it was something. More than he'd ever heard before.

Mara walked forward silently, kneeling down and pulling her hunting knife from her boot. "May the Bright Father have mercy on your soul," she whispered, and brought the knife quickly, cleanly across the man's neck. Quietly, she cleaned off the blade on some grass and replaced it before standing up.

Their journey had been momentarily paused when they'd come across the dying man on the road-side. Something didn't quiet seem normal about his death, she thought. Something was off, unusual.

She walked back to her horse, and mounted up.

"We've wasted day-light," she commented. Trowa could only agree. Mara made a good leader for a small group. She was compassionate, but her Circean blood gave her back-bone and made her nearly ruthless to her enemies.

The two young ones mounted back up, and Trowa as well swung into his saddle. They traveled at a quick pace for another two hours before coming to a fork in the road. Mara, with no hesitation, took the right fork. But Trowa slowed to a halt. Noticing her companion's pause, Mara reigned in her horse and looked back.

"Trowa," she called.

"I'm going this way," Trowa replied, letting his horse prance towards the left fork. "There is something I must do. There is something about the person or people who attacked that man. He had a coastal accent, and coast mercenaries tend to stick towards the coast."

Mara didn't even blink, but nodded. She'd known he would eventually canter off on his own for some reason or another.

Trowa didn't say anything else, only let his horse continue on down the left road, towards the farming villages that lay closer to the coast.

Mara watched him go, letting her horse carry her slowly away from him. She felt a twinge of uneasiness, as if a warning. Closing her eyes, she prayed.

"May the road rise up to meet you, and the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine always upon your face, and the rains fall soft upon your fields. Until you're home again, let the Dark Mother who watches over all her children hold you safe in her palm," she whispered.

And then... he was gone from sight.

...

When Wolfram, of the Bielefeld family, opened his eyes, he was quite shocked to find himself in a quaint, homey cottage and not a dank cell or barred wagon. His hands and feet were free, and there was no gag in his mouth. He shifted just a bit, and felt the faint tug of cotton bandages wrapped here and there.

He was free, and someone had treated his wounds. He struggled to sit up.

"Now, now, easy," a soft voice scolded as hands gently pushed him back down. "Don't. You'll tug your wounds open. Me and Hil' spent too much time patching them up. Mama would have done a better job, but the woman across town picked today to have her baby. Thankfully we've learned a thing or two from her. But Mama will be in soon with soup, I think."

A face came into view above him. Honey brown hair... and jade green eyes.

Suddenly, Wolfram remembered exactly how he came to be here.

"You," he accused the woman with the slightly chattering voice. "You saved me."

"I still don't know how she did it either," Another voice exclaimed frustratedly. "Rien, you could have been hurt, standing up to those men."

Wolfram's eyes narrowed at the girl above him. "One moment, you were just standing there. And then all the horses... they went **mad**. Bucking and kicking, biting. You did that, didn't you?"

He looked around, and found another young woman staring at the green-eyed one in confusion and awe.

"Tarien," was the whisper. "You... you called them, didn't you? You told the horses to fight, didn't you?"

The first girl threw herself into hugging the other.

"I didn't know I could, Hilde," she cried. "The horses always minded me really well, but I didn't know... I never imagined... Oh, Hilde. You don't hate me, do you? I swear I never knew!"

"Tarien, Tarien," the other cooed, petting her hair. "I don't hate you. You weren't raised like I was. You didn't know what that well inside of you was. You're not to blame. And really, you've done amazing for what you do know. We'll get Mama to teach you a little bit, see how the gift works. You might need to learn how to keep animals from acting on your whims, but for now, all's well. You've done well, my lady. So well."

Wolfram began to frown. My lady? Who addressed another commoner as 'My Lady'? And Tarien. Tarien was not a commoner's name. Especially not here in Sanq. Tarien was from the old language. Tar, meaning Bright. Ien, a form of Light, occasionally interpreted as 'Starlight'.

Bright Starlight, he thought. A noble's name. One with great meaning... possibly even prophetic in nature. This girl, for all her seeming to rely on and look up to this other one, was most certainly not a common villager.

Even the way she moved spoke of a grace few commoner's bore. Oh, she did a good job hiding it all. She had the clothes right. Her hair was in loose braid down her back, mussed from working. And it even seemed she sometimes had to force herself to 'roughen' up her voice. It was much too delicate, too well-bred, to belong to a commoner.

"So, stranger," the soft-spoken one said, already back at his side. Was he really zoning out so much that he'd miss her moving? He'd blame it on the injuries, he decided as she slowly, gently helped ease him into a more sitting position. "Who are you, and how'd you come across such ne'er-do-wells?"

Emerald eyes studied her for a moment, before he twitched one shoulder in an attempt at a shrug. "Call me... Wolf. And I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that's no matter." He nodded to the green-eyed 'Lady'. "I owe you my life. And if it's no burden, my family always pays debts owed."

His rescuer- Tarien?- frowned, and the other woman- Hilde?- made a humming noise, interrupting the other before she could say anything..

"You don't have to tell us," the darker one said. "Everyone has their secrets. Just make sure your secret doesn't harm us or this village. We've stayed off the map, so far. We'd like to keep it that way. Let *that* be your payment. To not ruin our lives."

"Hilde," Tarien admonished the sharp tone.

"Off the map..." Wolfram rolled the phrase on his tongue. "So, I assume you both are here, hiding your gifts and living a relatively normal life, even on the edges of a civilization that woul hunt you down and burn you alive if they found you out?"

Hilde shrugged. "Perhaps so. If it's all the same, we'd still like to keep a low profile."

Wolfram struggled to sit up- a bit slower and more calm this time- and Tarien helped him by propping pillows behind him. He finally managed to get a good glimpse at his surroundings. It was indeed a small little cottage, and from the fact there was no light coming in the cracks, he figured it to be night.

"I'll agree to that." He paused. "And, since I do owe my life, I'll even let you know who I am. But first... who are the two of you?" He tilted his head to Tarien. "Her name is one for a noble. Hell, even the way she walks and talks screams that she's nobility." He paused once again, as two thoughts occurred to him. "And her accent places her from Sanq. And she has magick? So Magick has even pervaded the honored blood-lines of Sanq nobility." He chuckled. "Ironic, but fitting."

Tarien and Hilde shared a look. Hilde's was a worried one, and Tarien's was thoughtful.

"You owe her your life," Hilde reminded him. "Blood-debts are powerful things. Do you swear loyalty to her until that debt is payed?"

Wolfram blinked, frowning. Who were these people that they'd collect oaths before revealing anything? "I cannot swear fealty to her, nobility or not. My heart and my sword belong to another. I cannot- will not- forsake that vow."

"Then an oath of friendship," Tarien suggested, and Wolfram could tell the nobility was coming out in her. She was speaking like a well-bred lady. "I won't ask that you serve me. I have no use for that. Just an oath of friendship. I must be sure you are an ally, and won't side against me in anything."

Wolfram thought for a moment, then reached out enough to grab her hand. "That, I swear. For certain until my debt is payed. And perhaps even longer. I won't side against you, and so long as your actions don't contradict my own loyalties, I'll side **with** you."

Hilde nodded. "Well said, Tarien. Well said... Wolf. Wolf... the woman whose hand you hold, to whom you've swore alliance with... is Tarien Amalia of Vayette, Duchess of Tearan, Princess of Sanq."

"Former Princess and Duchess," Tarien interupted.

Wolfram's mouth dropped open. Had he just allied with... a Kushrenada? "You... you're Kushrenada's daughter!"

"NO!" The speed with which she jumped up and snatched her hand away was astounding- as was the hatred burning in her eyes. "No. I am the daughter of Tauri of Vayette and Amalia of Tearan, who was sister to the current king, Treize Kushrenada."

"The thrice-damned bastard stripped her of her titles and cast her out," Hilde supplied. "And, if it's any consolation, we hate Treize just as much as the next magick users. Perhaps more so, all things considering."

Wolfram nodded, thinking. If what they said was true... then he could trust them. Yuuri would understand. He was alone in an unfamiliar country, and Yuuri always wanted him to be more trusting and less cynical, right?

Well, he felt comfortable around these people. He felt he could trust them.

"Alright. A deal is a deal, then. Ladies, my name is Wolfram of the Bielefeld family, fiance' to the current ruler of the Western Ki-Lin clans, strongest fire-wielder in my family, and third and youngest son of Cecelie of Spitsburg, former Queen of the Western Ki-Lin clans."

He somewhat expected the curious and surprised look from Tarien, but the absolute shock on Hilde's face confused him somewhat. Surely it wasn't all that surprising that a beautiful boy like him was a Prince Consort?

And then, the sound of shattering clay echoed in the room. Shards of a red bowl and splatters of soup splashed and scattered on the floor. Everyone looked up at the positively frightened, confused and shocked woman in the doorway. Her hair was a warm brown, and her eyes were the same familiar sweet sapphire blue as Hilde's. For a moment, Wolfram wondered why he hadn't seen that in Hilde. Those eyes, so very familiar.

"Hello, Little Wolfram," the woman finally found her voice, though that voice didn't sound all that very happy to see him.

But it was Wolfram whose turn it was to look shocked as he looked upon a woman that everyone had thought was dead, a woman he barely remembered as more than a few paintings and memories. A woman he only recognized because she looked oh-so-much like a darker version of his own mother. He swallowed, face pale as snow.

"Hello, Aunt Cecilia."


	22. Regrouping

AN: Not the best chapter I've written, but hey! At least it's a chapter!

Trial By Fire

22

'Regrouping'

M'gan was half-ready to tear down the Inn and stalk her way out after fifteen minutes in the presence of Ali the Street-Rat. Said thief, however, would not so much as let her leave the room. She was to stay in bed and rest and save her energy.

Glaring at the cup of water beside her bed, she had half a mind to make a puddle on the floor and disappear. Ali would never know where she was or how she'd left.

But... she had to admit- quietly and NOT aloud- that he might be a little right. She was in no condition to travel at all right this moment. She leaned back into her pillow and thought back to a few hours before when she'd fainted from trying to walk across the room. He'd been arguing with her. Or rather he'd been calmly trying to talk some sense into her while she ranted and raved. She'd said firmly that she was walking out that door and going after Em, closer to her than any sister could ever be.

She'd taken five steps away from the bed before the room spun and down she went. It wasn't but seconds later, though it felt like an eternity, that she opened her eyes to find that she'd never hit the floor. Ali, somehow, had caught her. Strong arms wrapped around her middle to keep her up, her head lolling into the crook of his neck.

He'd smelled of cinnamon, she recalled. When she first woke up, he'd been a bit scraggly and quite dirty. After she'd awoken and ate a bit of soup and went back to bed, then awoke again, he'd looked as if he'd bathed. A small part of her told her he must have been worried about her too much to bathe before she'd awoken from her near coma.

Which was sweet in its own way, she thought. He didn't know her, nor she him. All she'd gathered was that he knew Duo and was an old friend. M'gan didn't even really know Duo. She'd hardly spoken more than a few sentences to him, and only really knew his name because Sally mentioned it to her.

But still, she pulled herself out of her thoughts. She didn't like being cooped up in this little bed all day, not knowing what was happening to her friends, to Em.

Was Em dead by now? Looking out the small, cracked window, she could see the stars, and the faint light of the crescent moon. It was night. If Wufei, Heero, and Duo hadn't made it in time... if something went wrong...

She cringed and turned her head from the window. She didn't want to think of that. She didn't want to think about 'what ifs', she only wanted her friend to be safe. She wanted to go home. For good.

She looked up when the door opened and Ali came in. He held to door open for a good minute before closing it back and twisting the lock. She narrowed her eyes at that. Since when did he lock the door?

And then the air shimmered with shadows that moved and pulsated like an eerie creature. And suddenly, Em and the man Duo were standing there, in the middle of the room, leaning on one another for support.

"EM!" She was out of the bed so fast her head was spinning and her feet wobbled for a moment before she righted herself and rushed as fast as she dared to her friend's side, catching her up in a warm embrace.

"M'gan," Em's voice was so... relieved. "He needs to lie down. I think he used too much energy. I'm feeling a bit dizzy myself. I've kept us cloaked since we left that village.

Ali and M'gan immediately began to buzz around, laying the nearly unconscious Duo on the bed and setting Em in the only chair in the room, getting them both water and a bit of bread.

Silently, M'gan observed her friend. The slightly younger girl looked worse for wear, but... alive. Her dress was dirty and tattered, the bottom hem uneven and singed. M'gan could see a few small burns on her legs, but otherwise, she seemed just exhausted. Duo was on the verge of unconsciousness, and as Em related the story to her, she could tell why.

Em herself kept casting glances at Duo, as if puzzling something in her mind. It was several hours after sun-set, and they'd yet to hear from anyone else. Duo was partly worried for them, but happy enough that Em herself was safe. Which puzzled the girl. Why did he care? He was nothing to her, and she to him. She'd never met him before, but he... cared. He was kind, she decided. Kinder than anyone she'd ever met. She'd known from the first moment she met him. Probably a few moments before, she thought, recalling her brush with death.

_She was afraid._

_ That much she knew. Her arms bound behind her to the stake, preventing her from fleeing. The acrid, thick smell of oil that soaked the wood around her. The smoke from the torch one man carried. She was afraid, and she knew, just knew she was about to die._

_ And then that whistle screeched through the air, and her eyes were drawn forward. Someone in a black cloak, a sword._

_ Warrior Wufei, she realized as the cloak fell away. She nearly sagged with relief as the world erupted into chaos. Until the someone decided to torch her anyway, and the torch was tossed near her feet, the flames licking up quickly, too quickly. She screamed in her panic as the flames flickered nearer and near her, her dress catching flames, before suddenly the flames didn't burn anymore. For one moment, they burned, then no more. Wufei, she thought. His fire magick. He was protecting her, even from afar. And then, a whistle and a thunk the pole her back was against vibrated, and her hands fell to her side, the rope falling into the fire to be consumed. She, herself, almost stumbled in before she could stop herself. And the next thing she knew... she was floating. _

_ She felt her feet leave the platform, and herself rise from the ring of fire, above, into the choking smoke, which the wind blew away. She had no idea what was happening. Below her, people ran in a panic, and she saw villagers loading bows and arrows. She knew she should do something, but surprise, shock, and residual fear had her frozen. It wasn't everyday you found yourself floating above a bonfire, after all._

_ "Em, disappear!" Wufei's voice rose above the roar of flames and ruckus of the village. "NOW!"_

_ Disappear, right. That's what she should do. Calling on her gift, she brought the shadows of twilight around her, and willed herself to become invisible. The moment she knew everyone couldn't see her, she felt herself began to move. Floating, floating, flying._

_ Flying through the air, invisible. Until she came to a stumbling, sudden stop at the village's edge. A boy, some few years older than she, maybe, but still younger than Warrior Wufei, stood a few feet off._

_ "It's hard to move something I can't see," he commented. "So you'd best drop whatever magick you're using... or make it so that I can see you, else we'll not be making it very far." He sounded winded, and she figured if he was the one who'd flown her from the village square to here, he had a right to be. She stepped towards him until she could touch him. He stiffened for a moment, but she brought her magick to surround him as well. _

_ She knew the moment he could see her, because his nearly purple eyes widened in surprise. _

_ "Em?" he questioned. She nodded apprehensively, but he just sighed._

_ "My name's Duo. I work for the resistance, now. Wufei and Heero are back there, but I think I should get you as far from here as quickly as possible, okay? I think they can handle themselves."_

_ With that he gripped her hand, and they were suddenly flying again. Not far from the ground, but surprisingly fast._

_ "Where are we going?" She wondered._

_ "A town not far from here. M'gan is there. She's the one who brought us here so quickly. You truly owe her your life, if anyone."_

_ Em's heart swelled. M'gan had escaped! And brought back reinforcements..._

_ "But... she can't carry three more people with her!"_

_ Duo nodded. "She can and she did. Only minutes after having escaped when you were captured. She is strong. We'll be there with her in a few hours this way."_

She hadn't realized that the time, that 'this way' would leave him nearly comatose by the time they reached their destination. He'd pushed his limits to save her, to get her safe. She'd kept her own magick up the whole time, until they'd reached this room, but her magick had always had less impact on her than most people. It wasn't very strong. The most people she could disappear was three at any single time, but she could maintain it for hours if needed be. This boy was **powerful**. On par with Wufei's fire power. Or Heero's Earth moving. Her power was weak, with the ability to last. His power was like a tidal wave. It was brute strength, pure force.

She would hate it if she were ever the one of the receiving end of his anger. Looking over at him, she hoped she never had to see his anger- even if it wasn't directed at her.

...

"So..." Wufei began some time after they'd left the village. "Just who exactly are you?"

The woman in front of him raised a shoulder in a shrug. "Do you want my name, my profession? Be specific."

"Yes, yes, and I think I want to know anything you'll tell me right now. We've got a bit of a ride in front of us, so... I've got time."

The woman chuckled. "Fair enough, I guess. My given name is- as dear little Duo pointed out- quite a mouthful. Most people call me Van, though. As for my profession... it's a bit complicated. I guess you could call me a mercenary, although that's such a distasteful term. I prefer... wandering warrior. Sounds nicer, doesn't it?"

"So... do you make it a habit of getting involved in rescuing young girls?"

Another shrug. "I get involved in this and that. I can't stand those pig-headed pricks burning innocent people. But I get the feeling that girl wasn't as innocent as Duo let on. I take it the disappearing trick was her own magick?"

Wufei glared at the back of the woman's head. "That girl **is** innocent. She's never taken a life, never raised her hand in anger. She's a good girl, with family and friends."

"But you don't deny she has magick?"

Wufei snapped his mouth shut for a moment, then retorted. "So what if she does? Are you narrow-minded like them? Do you despise magick? Because if so, then I'd suggest getting far away from me."

Van turned and looked over her shoulder at him. "I resent that. Comparing me to those pigs. I have nothing against magick... or those who use it. I'm actually on my way to The City In The Forest. A certain gift I'm looking for. Someone who has it. That's my best bet of finding them."

"What sort of gift?"

She paused. "There are rumors that some people have the magick to find missing people and missing things."

Wufei pondered. "I've heard such rumors. But there's no-one in Ellesmera like that. No-one with such a gift."

"You've been to the City?"

Wufei paused for a moment, considering the wisdom of telling this woman too much, but then replied truthfully. "I live there."

It felt for a moment like she would reply, but then another horse charged onto the trail they were on, nearly startling their own horse.

Wufei looked up at Heero. The man looked no worse for wear. In fact, he looked quite un-harmed.

"Em?" Heero asked him.  
"With Duo," Wufei replied. "I assume they'll be making their way back to where M'gan and Ali are."

Heero nodded. And that was the last word spoken for quite some time.

...

Relena looked up as Midii entered the room.

"Any visions today," she questioned as the girl sank into one of the guest chairs.

Midii nodded her head, her brown hair falling forward.

"Yes, ma'am," she said, her voice weary and tired. The future had been changing so much lately, so many different things all coming at her at once. Her gift had never been strong, but with the world falling into chaos, her senses were over-loaded.

Relena took a seat beside Midii, handing over the cup of tea that she'd actually made for herself; it seemed Midii needed it more at the moment. The girl nodded her thanks, and sipped the tea before she settled the cup on a small table and pulled a parchment drawing from her robe, showing it to Relena.

"I had one of the more artistic library-aides draw this for me. Do you recognize anything?"

Relena studied the picture. For a few moments, her mind drew a blank, but then she realized it was more than just one simple picture. It was several different things all jumbled together. Humming to herself, Relena ran a finger over the picture. She paused over one small drawing.

"A cat's eye," she murmured. It had the right shape to be such, and was narrow and slit, but the arch, and the lashes, the eyebrow... were human. "No, not a cat. A cat shape-shifter. So, something about Ellesmera, perhaps."

She drifted her finger again. "This is a vague impression of the castle in Sanq, I'd say. Vaguely reminiscent of it, at the least." The next, the word 'siblings', written in the common language, the one most *everyone* could speak and read. And then... she paused, her breath catching at the last doodle.

"Ma'am?" Midii asked, concerned. She looked at the doodle under the priestess' finger.

"Persephone," Relena whispered. "This is the emblem of the royal family of Persephone. But they all died ages ago- nearly eighteen years. No-one even knows this symbol anymore." She shook her head. "This is confusing."

Relena put a hand to her head. "A shape-shifter, siblings, Persephone. In Sanq. I don't get it."

"There are other things, too," Midii said softly. "I see fire, towering flames, burning hot. There's water... torrents of it falling from the skies, a storm unprecedented, but still not enough to smother the flames. And a star, rising over the land, flickering, above and beyond the storm, the flames."

Relena sighed and leaned back. "Your dreams are becoming erratic," she said. "So many things are happening, you can't even see specific things, only... only **symbols**. We were hard-pressed enough to interpret the scenes you saw before. And now... nothing but riddles!" She threw the paper to the floor. "Riddles that mean nothing to me."

Midii cringed, flinching away from the priestess. "I am sorry I am not of more help, ma'am."

Relena sighed. "Oh, come now. I'm not angry at you. Only at myself, at the way the world is right now. I know you're doing your best, Midii."

Midii sat back up. "And one more thing I saw, ma'am. One feeling I have from my dreams."

"Yes, dear?"

"This," she motioned to the crumpled paper on the floor. "This chaos... will change the world."

Relena glanced at the girl. "Naturally. That's what war does, change things."

Midii shook her head. "No. It'll change more than we expect. This war... it'll change the hearts of the people, for better or worse. And we're **not** all going to survive."

Relena nodded sadly. "This, I know, Midii. War brings death. It cannot be avoided."

Midii nodded, standing to leave, but staggered, nearly falling back down. Her eyes misted over, and Relena patiently waited for the vision to pass. When Midii finally came to, minutes later, she was crying.

"They're all going to die. Oh, My Lady! Treize's going to attack Ki-Lin!"

Relena nodded. "We thought they would, eventually.

Midii shook her head once more, wildly. "NO! I mean, NOW. Not months from now, but NOW! They're fixing to march. The vision was clear as glass, Lady Relena! They left out at night, but there was no moon!"

"That could be any new moon, Midii," Relena tried to calm her. "This moth, or next, or even after."

Midii nearly knocked her down. "No! Think about it. Why leave out on a moonless night, when it'll take DAYS to reach Ki-Lin from the capital? Not a new moon! The eclipse!"

At this, Relena's heart plummeted. Midii's reasoning did make sense. Why leave out during a new moon, if there was no advantage? But in only two days time, there was an eclipse. The Southern Trinity was known for keeping track of the moon's movements. Especially Midii, a student of astronomy, who knew more than anyone about the night-time sky.

Relena stood up, placing a calming hand on Midii's shoulder.

"Very well, then. If you say they leave two days from now, I believe you. I'll contact Dorothy, have the clans put on alert, and I'll contact Meiva, have Noin send assistance. We must hurry, but most of all, we must stay calm and collected. Panic will only alert our enemies to our knowledge, and then we loose our edge."

Midii took a shuddering breath, but nodded. Relena was the Lady of Light. She knew much better than Midii how to handle the situation. Midii only saw. Relena decided.

And that was how it should be, because Midii did not want the responsibility of hundreds of lives on her hands.


	23. The Queen In Commoner's Clothing

Trial By Fire

"The Queen in Commoner's Clothing"

...

Tarien lifted the basket above her head. The Hilde was helping her father in the fields. The plowing was finished, and planting had begun. Tarien had traded off. Her skill with the horses had helped when it came to plowing, and now she'd turned her sights on learning the domestic chores. Clothes washing was her newest accomplishment.

Tarien wouldn't say she didn't miss parts of her old life. There was indeed a sense of accomplishment at knowing you could do something yourself. But it was still easier to have others do it. Working with the animals was the one 'chore' she wouldn't dare trade up for her old life, though. And doing things herself was a suitable trade for ridding her life of Treize's tyranny over her life.

Settling the basket of now-clean clothing on her head, like Cecilia had taught her, she began her way back towards the village from the river. She made it to the road, only to see a horse and rider heading towards the village.

"Good eve, sir," she greeted, looking up at him. The basket shielded her face from the afternoon sun somewhat, letting her make out the stranger's features. A clean-cut face, sharp lines. Caramel hair that fell forward over his face. Vivid green eyes that looked... almost wild, she thought. Though she couldn't place what gave her that feeling. It was almost, but not quite, like looking into Wolf's eyes. Similar greens, true. But it was that aura of power lurking behind them that was similar.

The stranger nodded towards her, slowing his pace down to a bare walk to match her own pace. "Good eve, sweet lady," he replied, observing her with those near-unnerving eyes.

"If you're visiting the town," she said, "I suggest the Wild Boar Inn. The Farmer's Tavern offers rooms much finer, but they tend to over-charge strangers- and it's not guaranteed someone wouldn't filch your purse at the bar, either."

"Thanks for the tip," he commented. "I'll keep your advice in mind. You live in the village?"

She nodded, keeping her basket balance with perfect poise. "I live on one of the farms on the outskirts."

He tilted his head. "Then perhaps you might be able to help me with a question. I'm looking for someone. A woman who might reside in this village- or one in this area."

"Many women reside here, sir," she said, casting her eyes away. "Many pretty and eligible women." She didn't rightly think he was searching for a bride, but for the moment she thought it best to play the part she played in town. That of the sweet-natured and slightly shy young lady.

His sudden laugh confirmed her suspicions. "I'm not in the market for a bride, nor a bed-warmer. I have my own sweet love to return to. I'm searching for a particular woman who may or may not reside here. A rumor I heard on the road leads me to believe she may be here."

"Well, kind sir, who is this woman who may or may not reside here? And which rumor has you thinking that it's the former, rather than the later?"

He gave her a curious glance, and she realized she'd done what Wolf had commented on before. She'd slipped back into the 'court' persona. The grammar, the inflictions. Not the words of the commoner, but the words of a Duchess.

"The rumor I heard is of a woman with a..." he paused. "With a knack with animals."

Tarien nearly froze for a moment. She nearly stumbled, but caught herself and kept walking forward. "A knack with animals? How so?"

"The woman has wild eyes, a queen in commoner's clothing, from what I heard. And she has a fair hand at getting animals to listen to her."

"Indeed. Sounds like quite a woman. Who might you think she is?"

He gave a sigh. "I was hoping she might be my mother, or knows her whereabouts. See, my mother had a fair hand with animals, too. There was a certain wildness about her eyes, and she always had the grace and poise of some great dancer, almost as if she were royalty. Some might even have said she had magick. So I was hoping that the woman of this rumor might be her, or know of her. She's been missing for a long time now."

Tarien glanced up at him, trying to figure out if this was a ruse to get her to out herself.

"You'll be getting yourself in trouble, sir, if you go about this country bantering around that word."

He looked down at her. "Perhaps," he mused. "But I have the feeling you know the woman from the rumor. The Queen in Commoner's clothing. By the by... the rumor... is what I heard from a dying man on the side of the road. Burned beyond recognition, and trampled half-to death already."

Tarien swallowed and fought the urge to throw up. She stopped and closed her eyes. "And if I say I know not of this woman, nor the rumor?"

He turned his horse and stopped in front of her. "Then I might return to my people and tell them that fear has gripped the hearts of all of Sanq, even those with magick."

"Your people?"

Tarien looked up, meeting those emerald eyes. Then gasped as the pupils turned to slits, and the wildness intensified. He held out a hand to her, and she stared at it, and the fingernails which were almost claw-like. And then, he was normal again. With just that aura of wildness about him.

"The people of Ellesmera, and those that wish to fight against the corrupt king of Sanq. My name is Trowa, and I am no friend of the King."

He kept his hand extended to her. She set her basket on the ground and stared at him intently, then nodded. She looked around, making sure that there was no-one near them. The afternoon was quiet, and they were alone.

She met his eyes once more, then dipped a slight curtsy. "The people of this village call me Rien. My true name is Tarien, formerly a Princess of Sanq, but disowned and disinherited. And I am certainly no friend of the King- my uncle."

_..._

The next evening found the group together once more. Em was bustling about, mother-hen-ing everyone. Duo and M'gan were both awake and well- if a little tapped out of magick at the moment. Wufei, arriving with Heero and Van sometime just after midnight, had fretted over Duo before collapsing himself. Heero had grunted, but everyone turned a blind eye to the Rielian gently picking up the warrior and settling him on the bed beside Duo to sleep off the fatigue.

By evening, they were all awake and going about various chores. Em and M'gan had kidnapped the newest female of their group and went to the creek to bathe and scrub their clothes. Those services were available at the Inn, but for a fee. And all of the people present were quite used to doing such chores themselves and saving the pennies.

With Heero off doing who-knows-what, the girls occupied, and Wufei and Ali procuring horses and supplies for their return to Ellesmera, Duo was left with little to do. He climbed up onto the wall around the village- easily avoiding guards or anyone who'd tell him it was against the rules and simply sat, watching the villagers as the sun began to sink beyond the horizon.

The colors splashing across the sky captured his attention, though. Only yesterday, Sunset had meant possible death for Em. Not that long ago, it head meant death for him.

Below the stone wall, a family wandered. Parents, playing with their two children a game of catch with an apple. For these people, Sunset meant the end of another day, a time to relax, to eat, to play. For him, Sunset wasn't as easy. For them it was for 'family'.

He didn't have any family, though. So Sunset was already fundamentally different. The end of the light... and the beginning of darkness.

"What are you thinking about, Duo?"

Duo glanced up, noticing for the first time that Wufei was standing behind him, gazing into the sunset, too. How long had he been standing there? Had he and Ali already finished their 'shopping'.

"A little bit of everything," he pondered. "Home, love. Family. There's a time I know I must have had them, too."

"You **have** a family, Duo. You **have** a home. Ellesmera is your home now, and it's people are your family. The city just has a way of absorbing you. Once you've been there... it's home. And you've had a home before, right? You must have had one before you were orphaned."

Duo sighed. "I can't recall anything. As far back as I remember, I lived on the streets. There's vague memories, sometimes. Flashes here and there. But nothing concrete. I think I had parents, once. I think I might even have had a sister. But... I don't know."

"Even if you can't remember then, you still have 'now'." Wufei said firmly, then his voice softened. "When I lost Meilan, I thought I'd lost everything. I took the kids, brought them with me to Ellesmera and started working for the Resistance." He sighed, sitting down beside Duo. "I've not been the best father, ever. I can't always be there for them when they need me, but they know I love them. For a good long while, I thought I'd never love again, and for a moment or two, I even wondered if it was right for me to keep the children with me, instead of leaving them with Meilan's family, my family," he added softly. "But... like I said. Ellesmera and the people there... they grow on you. They have a way of making you feel loved, wanted. Making you feel like you're a part of something so much bigger than just yourself."

Duo glanced over at Wufei, and felt his heart break just a little, even as it threatened to beat out of his chest. He wanted to reunite him with Heero, didn't he? It didn't matter what he himself wanted. Heero still loved Wufei, and there just **had** to be a part of Wufei that still cared for Heero like that. He couldn't let himself become the biggest obstacle in his plan to reunite the former lovers.

But how could he, when every second he could feel himself falling more and more in love with this single father, trying to make the world a better place for his children.

Duo glanced down again, and the couple was walking hand in hand, watching the two children play as the sun sank further, darkness fell and they wandered back into the safety of the village proper.

"There's more to family and belonging than just having a roof over your head and a few friends," Duo muttered, wanting that for himself. Wanting that with Wufei, but knowing he couldn't have it.

Duo looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Violet-blue eyes met onyx ones, and the hand moved to his chin, tilting it up ever so slowly. Duo's mind panicked, feeling what was to come. No, no, no. This wasn't how his plan worked. No, not this.

But his heart beat wildly, and his breath quickened. His mind said no, but his heart said yes. So, when Wufei lowered his head, Duo didn't resist. He only sat there.

Sat there as the sun finally disappeared from view and Wufei kissed him softly.

Silently, slowly, Heero turned away. He was happy. He really, really was. Wufei deserved someone like Duo. Someone sweet, someone who'd help bring back that 'father' side of the warrior. Someone to bring back the light into his life. So yes, he was happy. It's what he wanted, what he'd hoped for since he saw Duo watching Wufei so intently, since seeing the way Wufei- despite how he tried to act otherwise at times- doted upon the orphan.

So... if he was so happy... then why did his heart ache so?

...

Lyonesse sighed, bowing her head as she thought back to the last visit Dermail had paid her, some week ago. He'd yet to touch her in any way, and she truly doubted that he would ever. It was quite well know that his preferences lay with younger girls than she. Girls more... innocent. She closed her eyes. She was far from innocent. A mother, twice over, she was far from being some innocent kitten.

No. Dermail wouldn't touch her unless it was to push her around. Like his taunting her. He'd told her all about his heinous plans involving turning the already rebellious White Fang group into an all out war with Ellesmera. White Fang had always balked at recognizing the boundaries of Ellesmera, but under Dermail's influence... Quinze, their leader, could throw up a good fight against the forest city, distracting them from the growing threat in Sanq. And not to mention the taunting about the army being readied to march against Ki-Lin. Dermail had failed once, but he swore he wouldn't fail a second time. No, the army would leave within this week. And within two, the unsuspecting Ki-Lin warriors would be engaged in battle for their very lives. And then, within a month, Ki-Lin would likely have met the same fate as Persephone had years ago.

But there was nothing she could do here. Alone and so far away from her family.

Lyonesse sighed again, thinking back to her children. They were not much more than kits when she'd been captured. They'd be grown, now. Where were they? How were they? Did they even still live?

Lyonesse shook her head, growling at herself. No. Her children **lived**. She'd know immediately if one of her kits had left this world. She used her bound hands to wipe away errant tears from her eyes. She struggled into a little bit straighter of a posture, despite that there was no-one around to see her.

She was **not** broken yet.

She still had too much to live for. She was **not** broken.


	24. Princess in Rags, Prince in Riches

Trial By Fire

"Princess in Rags, Prince in Riches"

...

Quatre had never seen Ellesmera in such panic. The city was alive with activity, but not of the good kind. White Fang had attacked yet another one of the city's gathering parties. Two of the women and one of the children had died, and several more injured. The attack was closer to home than the others had been, though, so anxiety was building. And then, on top of that, Meiva and Noin had received word- by mirror-spell very very late at night- from Relena, back in the Southern Plains. Apparently Midii the Seer had a vision, and Treize's troops- with Dermail at their lead- were marching out the very next night- on a straight course for the Ki-Lin border.

Relena had already contacted Dorothy, and the three Ki-Lin clan leaders were putting their warriors on alert. Knowing she had to protect her own people from the threat in their own midst, Noin couldn't send as much help as she'd like to the Ki-Lin people.

But, she could do a little. Meiva was working on trying to contact the two rescue parties and have them divert to Ki-Lin. It was taking precious time, though. Mirror-spelling was not Meiva's gift, but the blessing of the Trinity. Easy to do between any two of the three sisters, and easy to place a permanent charm on mirrors when all three were present, it was a difficult task with just one. Difficult, but possible, as proven when Meiva finally made her hand mirror connect to the one in a small room at an inn late in the morning.

It was both good luck and bad luck. Good luck in that the party on horse-back had finally reached the warriors- who'd already managed to rescue the girl and recruit a new friend. The bad luck, Quatre felt his heart clench even thinking about it, was that Trowa was not among them. According to Mara, he'd left quite a while before they'd met up with the first group. She told them of the man they'd found dying, and the man's words, followed by Trowa's comment of heading west to the coast.

Quatre and Noin both knew Trowa had left to see if this woman might have been a clue to Lady Lyonesse's whereabouts. He, like most, had never given up hope that she was alive.

"Quatre," Noin said, coming into the room. "There's been another attack. One of the straggling groups that hadn't made it back since the recall were attacked by those damn dogs. Sally says your help with the injuries would be most appreciated."

Quatre looked over his shoulder at the Queen. From her position, she could see the saddle bags in front of him. Her eyes narrowed. "You're leaving? At a time like this? You're not going to find Trowa, are you?"

Quatre tied the bag closed. "Trowa's more than capable of handling himself, he said, standing up straighter and turning around. "I'm going to pay a visit to Treize. It's high-time this war ended."

Noin blinked for a moment, then her eyes widened. "No. Quatre. You can't just go waltzing into the viper's nest like that."

Then she saw it. Quatre wasn't in his usual, favored, comfortable tunic and breeches, or even in the just-as-often-worn healers robe of soft green. His breeches were a soft tan- nearly ivory- color, made of the supple leather that only the wealthy could afford, and his tunic was delicately embroidered satin and silk in a dark, dark maroon. A slim black belt complete with slender silver rapier draped fashionably low on his hips. A black velvet cape lay draped across the bed behind him.

So that was it. His plan?

"I can, and I will. I'm more suited to the task than anyone."

Realizing how utterly different he looked from the humble healer she knew so well, she thought, for a moment, that he might be right. Then, she remembered- he was a **healer**. Not a fighter.

"Quatre Raberba. You are **not** an assassin. You're not a warrior. And that's what we need."

Quatre looked at her. "Lucrezia, I am the only one that can do this without blood-shed."

"Yes, but..."

"But nothing. I owe no allegiance to you," he snapped. "I hold every right, by your very own laws, to re-claim the throne of Ellesmera in the name of the Raberba clan." His voice fell to normal once more. "But I have no desire to do that, nor to be a citizen of this city. Sanq, for all it's crimes and misdirections, is still my home, the home my father settled in, the home my mother *chose* and the home they raised me in. I must save it. I can do this, and I will do this. No-one but I can stand up against Dermail. I've realized that. It's the body against the mind, my friend. I'm going to stop this war."

And with that, he swirled the cloak around his shoulders and picked up his bag, looking every inch the wealthy merchant his father had been, and walked out of his Ellesmeran home, leaving the Queen staring after him. He paused for a moment in the stables, looking between where his two gigantic steeds were stabled, and then to a familiar black and dusty gray horse, still a hand smaller than the shorter of his own. His two were built for cart pulling. Strong and sturdy, but comely and not overly fast, not nimble, and certainly not the mount of a noble-man. No. They weren't built for speed. But **she** was.

He whispered a soft apology to them both, and turned away. Hand out, he placed a palm over the black mare's velvet nose, letting his scent be recognized.

"Hello, old friend," he said. "You remember me, don't you? I need your talents and your speed for this trip. What do you say? Willing to ride into the unknown with me?"

The horse wuffled into his hand, the liquid eyes meeting with Quatre's own blue ones. Quatre smiled, and quickly saddled the horse with one of Noin's own silver adorned saddles- the ones used only for formal occasions. Silently he mounted the horse.

"Wufei's never going to forgive me, you know?" Quatre patted the silky neck in front of him. With that, he nudged Nataku into a trot, quickly leaving the city behind. Once free, he gave the horse her lead and let her run.

…...

Hilde looked at Tarien when she arrived home, a stranger on a strange horse walking just behind her. There was slight disapproval in her eyes, but she held her tongue. Tarien saw the wordless look in her friend's eyes, and gave a slight, lopsided grin.

"He just followed me home, Ma," she said in a childish voice. "Can't I keep him, please, oh, please?"

Hilde attempted not to grin back. She really tried. But to no avail. She could never be disgruntled with her princess for long.

"What am I going to do with you, Lady? Always with the bringing the strangers back. One day, I'm not going to let you leave this house without an escort," she huffed, but in good nature.

"Hilde, this is Trowa of Ellesmera."

The man nodded to her as he dismounted nimbly. "Good day, miss. I hope I'm not intruding on anything."

The dark haired former servant girl frowned a bit. "Not at all. We were just about to sit down to a meal. Won't you join us?"

"I wouldn't want to be a bother. I was just looking for a little information."

"It won't be a bother, there's plenty," Hilde said. "And what kind of information are you seeking, Forest-man?"

"My name's Trowa, I was on a mission from the Queen of Ellesmera when I caught threads of information about another ongoing mission. That information lead me here. I was hoping I could learn the whereabouts of a missing woman."

Hilde's eyes cut quickly to Tarien, weighing the options, calculating what this man might be after, and if it were her.

Suddenly, the man laughed. "No, miss. I assure you I have no interest in any missing princess of Sanq. The woman I am searching for is a forest-woman. Much like me."

"Like you, how?" Hilde questioned.

Trowa stepped closer to her, and met her gaze with his. He saw the moment it registered with her, the moment she saw it.

His eyes, she thought. Slitted. Un-natural, like some great cat and just as wild. He was Lowan, he wasn't lying about his origin. He was, like she, hiding a great gift.

She nodded. "I see. Come in, we were just about to eat. However," she added, once more locking eyes. "If you have anything to do with the mission given to some cowardly Island-man who moves rocks with his mind," she hissed quietly, "Then I suggest you leave here before you meet a painful death."

Trowa nodded. "I've not often heard him called cowardly in anything other than personal relationships, but I can assure you that the Earth-weilder Heero no longer seeks the princesses blood. Somehow or other, she has found herself advocates amongst the court in Ellesmera, so she is safe unless she proves to be a threat."

"I'll not be any threat," Tarien commented, pushing past the two. "I want nothing more than to live a free life, away from that tyrannical man. And I would appreciate it dearly if you both wouldn't talk about me as if I am not here. Now I'm going to find someone who will talk to me and not about me," she huffed, fleeing into the kitchen.

"We'd best follow," Hilde admitted, leading Trowa into the house. Trowa followed her quietly until they got there.

"Well look what the cat dragged in," came a wry drawl.

Trowa looked at the table, to beside Tarien, at the bandaged blond sitting there.

"Wolfram," Trowa said, his lips turning up in a genuine smile.

The blond struggled to stand. "It's been ages, old friend. Do you still travel with that pathetic excuse for a warrior?" He asked good-naturedly.

Trowa chuckled, clasping arms with the fellow warrior. "I do, and his name is Wufei. You will find that, when not controlled by overwhelming grief, he is quite adept at what he does, much like you, I'd suppose." He paused. "Ah, now things make more sense. I ran across a man earlier today. Burned beyond recognition nearly."

"Quite possibly it was me. And that oaf isn't with you?"

"No, Wufei and I do part ways, occasionally. He doesn't always need a minder," he joked, taking the seat opposite Wolfram. He looked up at the women. "Now, I was searching for a particular woman, but I don't think I'm going to find her here, so would anyone care to explain about the man on the road? Queens, peasants clothing, fire, and horses? The story makes little sense to me."

Tarien sank into a seat beside Wolfram. "The woman your rumors are talking about is me. With a little help from Wolfram."

"She saved me," Wolfram commented gruffly, looking away while crossing his arms. He didn't like to admit weakness to a fellow warrior, but he thought it was a necessary evil at the moment.

Trowa's eyebrow rose as he and Hilde both took seats as well. "You? Needed saving?"

"It's not something I'm happy to admit, so don't rub it in," the blond snapped. "They tricked me. Shot me in the back. No decency whatsoever!"

"It appeared they were on their way to the coastal towns when we crossed paths," Tarien picked up the story. "I can't say for certain **why** I decided to help, but there was just something about him," she nodded to Wolfram. "I'm a fairly good judge of character, and I felt that he was on the side of good, and they weren't. I might have said a bit much, and they decided they didn't need any witnesses. A scuffle arose. I'm still not sure what happened. Apparently, I can communicate with animals."

"Let's pause... you can talk... to animals?"

"Not precisely, no," she replied. "I don't understand it myself, and I can't explain it."

"It's more like mind-speech," Hilde supplied. "At least, from what I understand of how she's tried to describe it. They don't actually have 'thoughts', like you or I. It's more feeling and intent. She could **say** to do one thing, and think another, and they would do the other. It's quite handy. She gets along well with most animals because of it."

"Most **intelligent** animals," Tarien corrected, looking thoughtful. "There's just no communicating with the chickens or the like. Horses, mostly, though. They seem the smartest."

Wolfram glanced up at Trowa. "Don't worry. She get's like this often. I swear the girl just **likes** people. And she considers dogs and horses people, too."

Hilde patted Tarien's shoulder. "She's just nice, is all. Too nice for her own good, sometimes."

"Anyways, you talk to animals... then what?" Trowa inserted.

"I told the horses to all rear up, to escape."

"She told the horses," Wolfram explained, "She told the men's own horses to attack them, and they **did. **Soon as I was had the chance, I lit them all on fire. Took everything in me, though. Then the good princess here saved me again, bringing me back here to heal, which I very nearly am."

"Not by a long-shot, cousin-dearest," Hilde growled. "You can barely stand, let alone ride. It'll be a long while before you're healed up enough to leave this..."

The door rattled on it's hinges, the sound of fists banging on the door echoing around the small home.

"Hilde!" came a cry. "Hilde, are you here?"

Hilde jumped up, rushing to the door. "Marvoleen?"

She gasped the name as she jerked the door wide. In fluttered a tiny girl, no older than ten, and dressed in the dusty clothes of a palace servant.

"Mar?"

Tarien has stood and walked towards Hilde. The child, her gold curls bouncing around her, stared wide-eyed at Tarien.

"Your Highness!" She squealed happily, and ran, falling to her knees and hugging Tarien's calves. "Oh, your highness, we thought you'd died!"

Tarien knelt and lifted the girl by her shoulders, chiding her and showing her to the seat she'd just vacated by Wolfram. Marvoleen had been one of the kitchen girls in the palace, often a serving girl, and Tarien had known her well, slipping bread and fruits to her whenever she couldn't reach Hilde. "I'm alive and well, Mar. Now breath a little, then tell us why you came."

Mar obliged, taking a few deep gulps of air before she started to speak again. "I came to bring Hilde news from the palace. Things have gotten a lot worse since you left, your highness."

"Worse?" Hilde's eyebrow raised. "How so?"

"That king is off his rocker," Mar said. "He's working with some creepy guy now that I don't know. He **acts** all nice and everything, but it's the sick kind of nice." She shuddered. "He asked for Bee to come to his quarter's one night, and Bee was really shook up and hurt when she came out later, but she won't speak of what happened." Bee, Tarien and Hilde both remembered after a moment, was a girl only a few years their junior, with flaxen hair and pretty hazel eyes. "Two nights ago, he asked for **me** to come to his room," Mar whispered. "Bee went crazy. She even threw a pot against the wall, then made me run out through the servants tunnels. She didn't like whatever he did to her, and didn't want it to happen to me."

Tarien hugged Mar as a few tears slipped from the younger girl's eyes. "It's alright. Bee did the right thing in sending you here. Did you happen to hear this man's name?"

"Not really. Damien? Dorian? Derian? No... Der... Der... Dermail!"

Every occupant of the room gasped. "Dermail?" Trowa asked.

The girl nodded. "Yup. That's it."

Wolfram and Trowa exchanged glances at the same time Tarien and Hilde did. Dermail had long been thought dead. If he wasn't dead, and was working with Treize... this spelled disaster for all involved.

"What other news do you bring us," Tarien asked quietly.

"Oh, the Princess Marimeia is with child."

"What?" Hilde and Tarien exclaimed at the same time.

"The Princess is with child, and the King is extremely furious about it. She refuses to give up the child's father's name."

Tarien, over the initial shock, snorted in a very un-lady-like manner. "It's likely she doesn't know herself. She's as loose as a feather in the breeze."

"The King keeps her locked away in her rooms, and he's conferring with different healers about the possibility of ab...ab..." She struggled for a moment, trying to find the word. "Of killing the baby before she has it."

"Aborting," Hilde murmured. Mar nodded in agreement. "Oh, and the army is moving out."

"Moving out?" All heads looked up in alarm.

Mar nodded again. "They've got weapons and supplies and things, and I heard one of the captains talking about how he didn't like that the King had put them under that Dermail man's command and wants them to march out."

Hilde grabbed Mar's shoulders, turning the girl to face her.

"Mar, tell me. Please tell me you know where they're going to march to. Where's the army going?"

The girl blinked. "Everyone in the capital knows," she said. "The king's going to destroy Ki-Lin."


End file.
